Why dig up dahlias for the winter: when to do it and how to store them

20.11.2023 17:06

It can be difficult for beginning gardeners to keep track of what and when to dig up, and which plants, on the contrary, make sense to plant and sow for the winter.

If we talk about dahlias, they do not overwinter in flowerbeds – they are dug up for the winter. The main thing is not to miss the moment.

Anastasia Kovrizhnykh , an expert of the online publication "BelNovosti", an agronomist and landscape designer, told when to dig up dahlias for the winter.

Why dig?

The tubers of this plant do not tolerate even zero temperatures, as well as an abundance of moisture during the dormant period.

That is why it is customary not to cover dahlias for the winter, but to dig them up.

Flowers
Photo: © Belnovosti

When to dig up dahlias

There are two main factors - weather (climate) and the condition of the flower.

But most gardeners agree that it is better to remove the roots from the ground after the first frost, so that the above-ground part of the plant is barely touched by frost.

How to store

The tubers are stored in a room at a temperature of 3-10 degrees Celsius, air humidity of 60-70% and in complete darkness.

If below +3, the tubers may die, and if above +10, they will wake up.

The roots are placed in boxes and sprinkled with dry sand, sawdust or vermiculite.

The roots should not come into contact with each other.

Author: Igor Zur Internet resource editor
 
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh Expert / Belnovosti

Content
  1. Why dig?
  2. When to dig up dahlias
  3. How to store