Dahlia Tuber Storage Tips
Dahlias are a rising favorite for flower enthusiasts, and proper tuber storage is key for their annual revival. After the first frost, cut stems, clean, and air-dry tubers. Divide and let them sit for 24 hours before storing in peat moss in a well-ventilated box. Maintain 40-50°F, 80% humidity, and check regularly for pests or rot. By following these steps, ensure your dahlia tubers are primed for a vibrant spring garden display. 🌸✨ #DahliaCare #GardeningTips #SpringBlooms
Dahlias are becoming an increasingly popular cut flower for flowers farmers and home gardeners alike. With many different colors, sizes and shapes, it’s easy to see why they’re a fan favorite! Dahlia flowers start from a tuber, which means that they have a swollen underground stem that stores energy for the plant to grow. While dahlias are not winter hardy in growing zones that have temperatures that dip consistently below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, their tubers can be dug up and stored over the winter months to be replanted in the spring. Proper dahlia tuber storage is essential to ensure that the tubers are healthy and ready to grow when the time comes to plant them again the following growing season. Today, we wanted to share some of our tips with y’all. Below are some tips for storing dahlia tubers throughout the winter
DAHLIA STORAGE TIPS
The best time to dig up dahlia tubers is after the first frost, when the plant has died back and the foliage has turned yellow. This usually occurs in mid October or early November.
Cut off the stems/greenery: Cut off the stems of the plants about 6 inches above the tubers, leaving a small stem attached to each tuber.
Clean and dry the tubers: Before storing the tubers, gently brush off any excess dirt, wash and allow them to air dry for a couple days in a well-ventilated area.
Once dry, divide dahlias and let sit out for another 24 hours.
Storage: Place tubers into peat moss as a storage medium in a ventilated box. We use bulb crates with craft paper liner on the bottom. A temperature of around 40-50°F is ideal, with the humidity kept around 80%, and plenty of airflow (we keep a fan running).
Protect from pests: It is important to check the tubers regularly for any signs of pests or rot. If you notice any issues, remove the affected tubers and dispose of them to prevent the problem from spreading. Common pests we see are roly-poly bugs. They will make a little village and eat your tubers. If you find them, take the entire crate out and rewash the tubers.
Check your tubers daily to make sure the temperature is within the range noted above, the humidity levels are correct and pull a few out to take a look at them from the peat moss (placing them back into and well under the peat moss aftterwards).
By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your dahlia tubers are properly stored and ready to be replanted in the spring. With a little bit of care and attention, you can enjoy these beautiful flowers in your garden for years to come.
XX Jenn and Adam
The Great Dahlia Dig
Bid farewell to the dazzling dahlias in their last harvest before the frost bite. With an impending drop to 18 degrees, our team of three spent a day unearthing and securing thousands of tubers. The abrupt shift from fall to winter, a typical Iowa weather quirk, propelled us into action. The smaller dahlia field, boasting unique varieties, added complexity to the six-hour task. Cleaning, drying, and dividing the tubers for storage proved physically demanding, prompting thoughts of core strengthening for future endeavors. Stay tuned for our online dahlia tuber sale, unveiling these captivating varieties. Good luck to us in this intricate dance with the dahlias! 🌸❄️ #DahliaHarvest #PepperHarrowFarm #TuberSale
We love our dahlias dearly here at PepperHarrow and they’re one of our featured flowers we grow.
I mean, just look at these gorgeous blooms, our last harvest of dahlias before frost. Dahlias in every shape, color, size. Just absolutely stunning!
But all good things must come to an end and that’s where we are right now. We recently spent a 10 hour day, with 3 people, out in our largest dahlia field, digging up all the dahlia tubers and getting them into our heated space before an anticipated low of 18 degrees.
It’s crazy how our Iowa weather always seems to go from just lovely fall weather, to an abysmal wintery mix overnight. That’s exactly what happened this year, just like it’s happened the last few years. We should be used to by now, right?!
Below is a great photo that shows an after look of what our field looked like after all the tubers were dug up. Not too bad!
The following day, Adam, our two sons and myself (Jenn) worked on our smaller dahlia field with our ‘special’ dahlia tuber varieties pulling them out. We spent about 6 hours in the smaller field, but were only able to get it half completed. It was a bit more difficult for various reason, but for right now, I’m blaming the pathways we added with landscaping fabric. It was a crazy, wet, cold, mess that day.
I’ll admit, I’ve been dreading the great dahlia dig. I started thinking about having to do this in early September with a sliver of dread stirring in my heart. Not gonna sugar coat this for y’all, it’s some seriously hard, dirty, body breaking work to get all of these tubers out of the field and inside.
But that’s not all! We also spend hours on our feet after that, cleaning, drying, and dividing them up for storage. There’s a lot of standing and my lower back is starting to get real angry with me. Need to work on my core next year to help with this.
The specialty dahlia field
Wish us luck as we further divide the thousands of tubers this week to get them into storage. We’ll be getting them all tucked away, then will be announcing our dahlia tuber sale online soon. We can’t wait to share all of these gorgeous varieties with you.
XX Jenn