How to Lift and Store Dahlia Bulbs

Add dahlias to the garden for late summer and fall color.

Dahlias may be old-fashioned flowers, but their beauty never fails to impress. These large, showy plants produce an abundance of blooms in mid to late summer and into the fall. Flowers range in color from white and pale yellow to deep rich purples, pinks and reds; they come in single and double varieties. Newer cultivars produce unusual shapes and sizes, making dahlias ideal flowers to add interest and variety to the flower bed. Dahlia bulbs must be lifted and stored for the winter and replanted each spring, but they are well worth the trouble.

Things You'll Need

• Garden tools
• Peat Moss
• Box or crate
• Sharp knife

Instructions

1. Dig up the dahlia bulbs after the first frost has killed most of the foliage. Cut the stems to a height of four inches and label each dahlia. Failure to label specific colors or cultivars results in bulbs that cannot be identified by visual inspection. Do not rely on memory. When spring rolls around, you won't remember which bulbs are from which plant.

2. Use a garden fork or spade to dig a wide distance around the plant; bulbs can spread, and you do not want to damage the bulbs. Gently lift the entire clump of bulbs from the soil with the stalks attached.

3. Shake to remove loose soil and place the tubers upside down in a shaded area to drain the stem and dry the soil. Once the stem and soil are dry, remove the remainder of the soil. You can do this by hand or with the sprayer on the garden hose. Trim away young roots and discard any bulbs that show signs of damage or disease. Tubers should be firm and free of blemishes.

4. Place several inches of peat moss or sawdust in the bottom of a cardboard box or other flat container. Layer the dahlia bulbs in the packing material leaving space between the bulbs. Cover with peat moss, leaving the stems exposed. Mist lightly to provide moisture during storage but do not saturate the peat moss or sawdust. Store in a cool, dark area that maintains temperatures between 40 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Check bulbs periodically for signs of mildew, fungal infections or shriveling. Discard infected bulbs or add a small amount of water to prevent shriveling.

6. Remove bulbs from storage in early spring and divide the tubers. Each bulb requires at least one eye to produce a plant. If eyes are not visible, add moisture to the peat moss to encourage sprouting and check again in a week. Cut bulbs free from the base with a sharp knife and plant in rich well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5 after the danger of frost has passed.

Tips & Warnings

• Label the bulbs for easy identification in spring.

• Store dahlia bulbs in an area that does not freeze.

References

• Ohio State University Extension: Growing Dahlias

Resources

• The American Dahlia Society: Digging, Dividing and Storing Tubers