Expert: Long Island Gardener - 10/12/2006

Question
We are zip 02719 along the coastline in MA.  We have some large dalhias that we purchased as bulbs in the spring and also some minature dalhia that we purchased as plants.  Do we need to dig these up for the winter & replant in spring.  How do we store them and replant  

Answer
Absolutely, positively you must dig your Dahlias if you live in Massachusetts.

First, the bad news: This is not a perfect science.  Keeping Dahlia tubers thru the winter is a maybe/maybe not exercise.

The good news:  If you succeed, you may have multiple tubers where you started with only one.

You can dig your tubers out of the garden after the first frost blackens the leaves.  Using a pitchfork, dig the tubers and roots carefully, and cut stems several inches long.  Never wash with water; dust garden soil off and, if you really want to do this perfectly, dust with a fungicide to maximize your chances of success.  Store them in a box -- never plastic, and never covered -- covering with damp peat moss, in a cool area of the basement, around 50 degrees F.  Keep them moist throughout the entire winter. In spring, cut any surviving tubers leaving 1-3 eyes at each piece - the eyes resemble potato eyes.  The tendency to overwinter and/or multiply easily is a genetic trait and determines how expensive a Dahlia will be.  Law of supply and demand.

Any questions?