Dahlias

LG....Thanks, that would be great....I'm digging tubers later today...if it warms up....in the 30's right now. Garden Gate,.......very nice photos.....the second variety reminds me of one called "Lucky Number"..."Rosella" looks like that as well....very pretty combination with the other flowers.... We'll look forward to seeing more photos next year.
 
Freezing nights and chilly days have come our way and we even had snow today, even though it didn't stick around. Guess I'll be digging dahlias tomorrow if it is going to be as nice as the weatherman has promised. This cold weather has knocked almost everything back, so I think I'll be doing more than digging dahlias. Love the fall though, even the work.
 
Okay, I've dug my tubers, got them tucked away in the peat but it all seems so dry. Should I add even a little moisture to keep the tubers from dehydrating?
 
You want them dry. If there is too much moisture, they will rot/mold. Now, you have to be patient and wait for spring! I dug mine yesterday, haven't stored away yet...
 
I guess what is confusing me is one set of instructions I found on the internet that said to wrap each one in Saran wrap to "keep them from drying out". I sure like your way better and apparently you know what you're talking about. So dry it is.
And yes, now comes the waiting.
 
The little roots often dry out but I have more problems with rotting when I try to, kind of, seal things up. Little roots lost to drying is one thing. Big roots lost to rotting is something else!

My dahlias are in plastic bags - just like you get from the store. I'm worried about admitting this because people may see "plastic" and think that they are wrapped. They are not!

Dahlia roots are kind of heavy and those bags are nice and light. They are, however, completely filled with peat moss. The bags just help me get the peat and roots down and back up the basement stairs. And, it separates the different types of dahlias (as much as there is any effort in that regard).

The roots are nestled with peat completely surrounding them. The bags of peat & roots are set on the basement floor and the tops are left open. So, it really kind of amounts to about a 10" layer of peat moss all over the floor with thin plastic separating the roots. The peat is not covered with anything.

. . . just how i do it.

Steve
 
I store my Dahlia tubers about the same way Steve does...except I put my tubers in large fiberglass totes filled with pine shavings all around the tubers. Each tuber or clump of tubers is labeled....and they all go down into my root cellar where the temperature stays about 45 degrees...unless I leave the door open again like last April....DOI!!!:P I won't ever do that again.... Happy digging!!!:D Rusty
7566_dahlias_2011_013.jpg
 
Thanks Steve and Rusty. I feel more confident about getting these things through the winter now.
Rusty, I love the picture of the dahlia, great color and I love the shape of the petals.
 
Thanks...the variety is called: "Purple Taiheijo". The blooms can get quite large.... There is a varigated variety of this called: "Taiheijo"....a Lavender variety called: "Lavender Ruffles"...and a White variety called: "Iceberg"....all variations from the "mother" variety..... It does well producing flowers and tubers...but it's not a great "show" flower...I guess the bloom shape is just too informal....but I like it.:D Rusty
 
Thanks again LG (Leah) for the nice tubers......I'm so glad that I got the rest of my tubers dug, labeled, and stored a week or so ago...... We got about 6 inches of snow here last night.....oh yippy:/........only 6 1/2 more months 'til Spring....:( I'm not a snow person...but it is sooooo pretty here in the Spring, Summer, and Fall,....Winter is pretty too....but we have it for waaaaaaayyyy toooooooo looooooong! Two seasons in Northern Michigan.....Winter and Preparing for Winter......Happy Holidays everyone!!!! Rusty
 
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