Simple rules for storing dahlias after digging them up in winter at home

Dahlias are a bright decoration of flower gardens in city flower beds and summer cottages.

All varieties are heat-loving perennial plants with tuberous roots that require special care and mandatory digging for the winter.

We'll tell you in this article how to store dahlia tubers at home in winter.

When should you dig?

In their southern homeland, in Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala, flowers grow naturally. When grown in climates with cold winters, it is necessary to dig up the roots before the onset of cold weather. This allows you to save them until next spring.

As a rule, dahlias are dug up in the second half of October, a couple of weeks before the arrival of cold weather.

These dates are not exact, but may vary taking into account the following factors:

• features of the climate zone;
• weather;
• plant variety;
• spring planting time;
• flowering duration.

It is important not to miss the moment when the tubers need to be dug up. The signal to start digging is the first frost gripping of the stems and their darkening. At this time, the underground part of the plant is ready to go into a dormant state and winter storage.

If the leaves and stems are green, it is too early to dig up the plant.During this period, development and absorption of nutrients from the soil by the root system continues.

Taking into account the climate zone for growing flowers, You can rely on the following information when to start digging:

• for the southern regions - this may be the first days of November;
• for the middle zone - mid-October;
• for northern latitudes – September.

The need to dig up dahlias is due to the fact that their root system does not tolerate low temperatures. If you leave the plant in the ground, then when the temperature drops to -5°C, the flower freezes and disappears.

How to dig correctly?

The quality of the planting material in the spring largely depends on the correct digging of flowers. It is believed that the best time to carry out work is in the morning in warm sunny weather.

Basic rules for digging dahlia:

1. Cut stems and flowers, leaving only 10 cm above the soil level, using pruning shears. You cannot break off dahlias.
2. Digging up the bush.
3. Using a fork, carefully remove the tubers from the ground. Do not pull the stem with force so as not to damage the plant.
4. Shake off the soil from the roots.
5. Treat the tubers with a solution of potassium permanganate in order to remove insect larvae and fungal spores if they are present.
6. Spread the roots out in the air, shaded from direct sunlight. Be sure to place paper or burlap underneath. You just shouldn’t keep them on asphalt or concrete so that the dahlias don’t lose moisture and start to dry out.
7. After drying, the tubers need to be inspected in order to discard damaged ones.

If there is mechanical damage to the roots caused by digging, they must be carefully trimmed with a sharp tool and treated with wood ash or other means. Very thin roots-strings should be removed.

Storage conditions

After digging and processing, future planting material is placed in storage for many months. The conditions in the place designated for the maintenance of rhizomes must meet all requirements. This is necessary so that when planting the plants are viable and grow faster.

Temperature

The optimal temperature in the place where tubers are stored should be from +3°C to +10°C. The indicators should not be allowed to drop to 0°C, as this will cause rotting of the planting material.

If the temperature is higher than recommended, germination will begin. This is highly undesirable, since the roots will lose strength, and by the time it is planted in the ground, the plant will be weak.

Humidity

Air humidity in the storage area should be from 60% to 70%. If the room is too humid, putrefactive processes will begin. At very low humidity, on the contrary, the rhizomes will dry out. To prevent this, periodic spraying may be necessary in a dry room, but not more than once every 4-5 weeks.

Lighting

Exposure to sunlight can damage planting materialBecause of this, it is very important to take care of protecting dahlias from light. This will allow the roots to remain dormant during the winter. Violation of this rule will lead to unscheduled vegetation and damage to planting material.

Where can I keep it?

When choosing a storage location, all mandatory requirements must be taken into account. This is necessary to ensure that the roots are preserved as well as possible.

Apartment

It is difficult to organize flower storage in winter in a city apartment. The conditions are not suitable for keeping rhizomes for a long time, since the air temperature here is too high and the air humidity, on the contrary, is low. In this case, there is a possibility that the tubers will dry out or grow.

If you have space in the refrigerator, you can store a small amount of flower roots there.

The procedure in this case:

1. Wrap the prepared roots in several layers of paper. Each plant is separate.
2. Place the workpiece in a plastic bag.
3. Make holes in the bag for air access.
4. Place in the bottom of the refrigerator compartment.

For compact storage, you can use a plastic, non-sealed container instead of a bag.

Basement or cellar

The cellar and basement can be used when placing dahlia tubers. In such conditions, the workpiece can be placed with a lump of earth, in boxes, etc. But even in the cellar, both temperature and humidity should be controlled.

Preparation

Preparation for storage includes preparation of the premises and containers for dahlias, as well as preparing the flowers themselves. Most methods involve disinfecting the container for containing the roots and pre-treating the tubers themselves. There are also non-standard storage methods, for example, by preserving a clod of earth.

Methods

When choosing a method for storing flower roots until spring, you must take into account that you will need quite a lot of space, especially if there are a lot of dahlias. All containers used must be clean, without last year’s remains of soil, sand, etc.

Sandbox

Before use, the sand must be calcined and cooled. A layer of sand is poured into the prepared box, the roots are laid out on top, then there is a layer of sand again.

How to preserve in sawdust?

For long-term storage of dahlias, you can use sawdust. Storage should be organized in such a way that the tubers do not touch each other. If the selected container allows, the tubers can be laid in several layers, sprinkling each of them with sawdust.

Vermiculite

Vermiculite, like agroperlite, can be used for long-term storage. Prepared dahlia tubers are laid out loosely in a box, and the selected additive is poured on top.

Paraffin

Applying paraffin prevents the tubers from coming into contact with air and minimizes the likelihood of spoilage. The procedure for choosing this method is as follows:

1. Heat the paraffin until hot.
2. Immerse the tubers in heated paraffin for 1 second and immediately remove them.
3. Dry until the paraffin cools and hardens.
4. Send for storage in a box.

You should not immerse the roots in paraffin for a long time, as this can lead to their damage.

Film

Film is not suitable as the only packaging. It does not allow the roots to “breathe”, as it provokes an increase in humidity. And this leads to decay. It can be used limitedly, and only as a second layer when placing the workpieces for storage in the refrigerator.

Moss

Moss has good air and water permeability, therefore can be used for winter storage of flowers.It maintains the desired level of humidity and allows the roots not to dry out.

Clay

If the basement for storing flowers is chosen to be dry, the method of dipping the roots in a clay solution can be used. This will protect the root from drying out and external influences. In order for the clay layer to be uniform, the solution must be prepared as fluid, with the consistency of sour cream.

Peat

Peat is a lightweight substrate that is well suited for storing dahlias. The rhizomes are placed in boxes in layers, each of which is sprinkled with peat.

Pots

If dahlias grew on a balcony or loggia, then wintering them in a pot is the best option.

The flower should be removed from the open balcony before frost. It is also possible to dig up plants from the garden before the cold weather and bring them into the house.

There should be a separate pot for each flower. Garden soil is suitable. After flowering, the plant goes into a dormant state. Watering is reduced and the pots are moved to a cooler place. In spring, such a flower can be returned to the balcony or planted in the garden.

On the street in the ground

It will not be possible to keep dahlias in the ground throughout the winter if there are frosts on the soil. Since the plant is very heat-loving, it is better not to experiment with this. You can do without digging only in very hot climates in any season.

With a lump of earth

An alternative storage option is to leave the soil in which the flowers grew on the tubers. No additional processing is required with this approach. A cellar or basement is chosen as a storage location. The roots are simply put into a bag and removed until spring.

Rules for digging and storing dahlias with a lump of earth - on video:

What to do with tubers in spring?

At the beginning of spring, back in March, it is necessary to check the condition of the harvested roots. If they dry out over the winter, they can no longer be restored. But slightly wilted specimens can still come to life.

The procedure in this case:

1. Pour fertile soil into the prepared container.
2. Plant the plant, and shallowly, so that the root collar is on the surface of the ground.
3. Spray with a biostimulating agent. This could be, for example, Zircon.
4. Place the flower in a warm, bright place.

If the tubers were stored in compliance with all the rules, then additional complex processing before planting is not required. When placed in a warm place and with access to light, dahlias themselves will begin to germinate in literally half a month.

Planting in the ground should be carried out provided that the soil is warmed up to 10-12°C to a depth of 15 cm. The site itself must meet the following requirements:

• protection from drafts;
• the soil is loose and fertile;
• good lighting and sun warming;
• neutral soil acidity;
• location on an elevated site.

For better growth and development of dahlias, it is advisable to add humus to the holes prepared for planting. The holes themselves need to be well moistened. After planting, the plants are watered. The root collar should be 30-50 mm in the ground. Mulching the flower bed is also recommended.

Rules for planting tubers - on video:

6 useful tips

For those who plan to breed dahlias, The following recommendations from florists will be useful:

1. It is advisable to treat the container in which the tubers will be kept in winter with a solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Flowers should be cut first and only then dug up. There is no need to leave the stem.
3. Every 1-2 weeks, the storage location should be checked to assess the condition of the tubers.
4. If spoiled tubers are found, they need to be removed. Sick plants should not be stored together with healthy ones.
5. Large rhizomes cannot be divided into several separate ones in the fall, as this will only weaken the plant. Young shoots are formed not from individual roots, but from the base of the root collar. If division is required, it must be done before planting in the spring.
6. Digging of the area for dahlias should be done in the fall. Just before planting in the spring, a few days before, the soil is loosened.

Conclusion

The rules for storing dahlias in winter are not too complicated. If the tubers were dug up on time, well prepared and placed in conditions suitable for them, then next year they will delight you with their magnificent flowering.