What Do You Do With Dahlia Bulbs

Dahlia tubers of a good size can be divided in spring.

What do you do with dahlia bulbs.

You ll need to dig the tubers up at the end of the season if you live in all but the warmest regions of the usa. Picking a favorite dahlia is like going through a button box. Keep the compost warm and moist. You can also grow dahlias from seed which is usually sown in spring though in tropical and sub tropical zones you can sow from mid winter seeds can be started indoors or sown directly into the ground.

You can dig up dahlia tubers with a garden fork or standard shovel. Cut back the stems until they re about 6 inches 15 centimeters from the ground. Storing dahlia tubers for winter. Be careful not to let the tool come in contact with the tuberous roots which are easily damaged.

If you ve ever grown dahlias you know they can quickly become a gardener s prize flower. You can now leave the roots for two to three more weeks before removing the bulbs. Digging and storing dahlias for the winter is extremely easy and simple simply follow our guide. Gardeners differ on the best way to pack overwintering dahlia tubers.

Dahlia is a genus of tuberous plants that are members of the asteraceae family. Before you can remove dahlia bulbs from the ground you will need to cut down the stems. If you garden in zones 3 6 you ll need to dig up your dahlia bulbs and store them indoors for this task you need pruning shears a shovel or. Once they are dry they are packed away.

Gingerly pry up the soil as. Once the skin is wrinkled the tubers should be dry enough. However they do need to keep slightly moist on the interior to keep the embryo alive. Loosen the soil around the dahlia tubers by thrusting the fork or shovel into the ground about a foot away from the plant.

They are grown from tubers which look like a cluster of brown carrot like roots joined by the previous year s dried stem. Related species include the sunflower daisy chrysanthemum and zinnia they grow from small tubers planted in the spring. To do this press the tubers down onto a tray of shallow compost and leave them to start growth in a greenhouse or in a sunny room. You should do this as soon as the first frost of the season has arrived.

In hardiness zone 7 dahlias will usually survive the winter outdoors as long if the soil is well drained and the tubers are insulated with a thick layer of mulch to avoid any risk bring the tubers indoors following the instructions for colder zones. You can buy fresh tubers every spring from garden centres or by mail order or use your own tubers that have been overwintered.