Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 10/20/2006

Question
We live in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. We've had trouble storing our dahlias for winter. In Spring, they have sometimes rotted and they freeze if we leave them in the ground. Could you please tell me how to store them?  

Answer
In late fall, after a mild frost has blackened the tops, remove them from the ground and wash soil from the roots. Cut the dahlia tubers from the mother plant but make sure you keep an eye with each tuber (the eyes appear on the central piece near the base on top. This is why Dahlia tubers always are elongated with a main body and a "neck" at which ends you find the eye).

You can store the dahlias dry and cool at 45-50F for the period. High humidity is best. If the temperatures are too warm, humidity too low (as in heated houses in winter) the dahlias tend to desiccates. If you store them too cold, they freeze, rot and die.

You can wrap the clean, dried dahlia tubers in plastic wrap and store them cool (40-45F) or you can dip them in wax to seal in the moisture (but do make sure they are clean and dry before attempting).