FALL AND WINTER DAHLIA CARE

DAHLIAS

 

DIGGING UP DAHLIAS IN FALL

The adventure of wading through the frozen, then thawed, now slimy plant parts and diving into the frosty soil is exciting to some, and a dreaded task for others.

On the one hand, it is exceedingly satisfying to unearth a clump of tubers and discover how they’ve multiplied in a single season. On the other hand, it is nice to sit inside and read by the fire.

For those of you who’d rather get cozy than outdoorsy this fall, we hearby give you permission to leave the tubers in the ground. After providing months of show-stopping blooms, let them stay put and feed the microbes for next year’s garden (in more mild climates they may even grow back next year)! If you’d rather be thrifty, double the size of your dahlia patch next year, or give tubers as gifts to friends, please read on for the dahlia-digging nitty gritty!

DIGGING GUIDE

Supplies Needed:

  • Digging fork or spade shovel

  • Pruners or long-handled loppers

  • Permanent marker, flagging tape, masking tape

  • Bins, crates, boxes, or bags

LABEL!

First things first… If you’re keeping track of varieties, be sure to label the plants before the blooms are consumed by the frost. It’s nearly impossible to ID them after the plants have died back. Flagging tape, masking tape, and a Sharpie work just fine.

Our dahlia patch after a killing frost

WHEN DO I DIG?

The ideal digging window is 1-3 weeks after a killing frost, but before the ground freezes completely. If you want to get a head start and beat the cold, you can dig your tubers early, just make sure to cut back the stems a couple weeks prior to digging.

Oliver taking a moment to appreciate some impressive tubers!

HOW DO I DIG?

  1. Remove any support posts and string trellising.

  2. Cut stems to 3-6” above the soil. Leaving some stem at this point is nice so it can serve as a handle while pulling the clump from the ground and later while washing, too.

  3. Push your digging fork or shovel into the ground 12” away from the stem, making sure to keep the tool going in straight down, not at an angle. If you feel resistance underground, stop and move back a couple more inches. Once your fork or shovel is at its deepest, slowly push the top of the handle down towards the ground. You’ll see the soil and the tuber clump lifting and loosening. Repeat all around the stem.

  4. Take care to gently coax the clump from the soil. Yanking it out too forcefully could cause damage to the tuber necks and render them unviable. Remove excess soil from the clump with your hands, and put it into your preferred container. Add a variety label on the clump and a separate one on it’s container.

And that’s it! You’ve dug your dahlia tubers. For info on washing and dividing your bounty, read on for our Dahlia Dividing Guide.

Questions? Send us a note at forthillfarm@gmail.com