Winter Storage

After the dahlias have been frosted the tops should be cut off and the clump of tubers lifted out of the soil for storage. It is best to use a round nose shovel to dig out the tubers as this will cause less damage than a garden fork.

Shake off any surplus soil and allow the clumps to dry slightly. Cut the stalk back to the base as close to the tubers as you can. This stalk contains excessive water that will cause rotting problems in storage. Storage of dahlias is perhaps the most challenging aspect of growing dahlias. There are a few different methods. If one is working well for you now, then don't change, but if you are having trouble storing the tubers try a new method.

If you have a cold room just storing the clumps of dahlia tubers upside down in a cardboard carton will probably work quite well.

Another method is to pack the clumps in dry vermiculite in a cold room. Dahlias are best stored at 10° C - 12° C. Any temperatures higher will have an effect on the storage of the tubers.

Dahlias, of course, must never freeze as this will mean total loss of the tubers. Growers that have a large number of plants may divide the clumps in the fall rather than in the spring to save on storage space, but the same materials would be used to pack them away for the winter in storage.