i would like to print this out for future reference....but when i tried.....all i got was the ad pic......how do i go about printing this article ?

What is the name of the fungicidal powder please. and where to you purchase it.

Wonderful article thank you

A good article, Ed. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Any suggestions on how to keep tubers in fridge?
Have a spare fridge that is showing 41 degrees on thermometer, so I hope will be cold enough.
Looks like will be my only option. Have no basement or garage. Shed is not protected or insulated.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, cherie

bouquet_kansas,
To print an article on Dahlia Forum:
1.Select (highlight) the wanted article.

2. Right click on selected area, then choose COPY, Left click it.
3. open Microsoft Word document, Put cursor on the blank (white) area, right click and choose Paste. Left click on Paste. You now have the wanted article !
   4. TO PRINT: On Microsoft Word document with the article that you just pasted, left click on FILE. Left click on PRINT.
   Done!

41 would be perfect with 35-45 being the ideal range. Just make sure your fridge is reliable- our spare one can freeze milk or leave the bread in the freezer part unfrozen depending on its mood. Perhaps time for a new spare fridge for us.

Do you know anyone with a garage who could store a box or two for you?

fridge is reliable thank goodness. have overwintered other bulbs and such. New to working with dahlias.Was give 250 plants from tubers this year.Not even thinking of having to dig and divide yet Lol. but getting cold here now.way too early.

only people i know that have garages keep them heated so they can use them in the winter. go figure...

Very helpful article. Have you ever compared growth of rooted cutting against replanting tuber?

What brand of fungicidal powder do you recommend? Also, are the zip-loc bags sealed? The tubers do not need air? Never stored dahlias or any other plants over winter so I have NO clue. Thanks!

Here's a section of the text lifted for your review: The bags are left open in the box and the box is closed and placed in my attic for winter storage. Tubers do best when maintained at a temperature between 38-50 degrees so itÂs critical to find the right area in you home, whether itÂs the attic, garage, or an unfinished basement. I also use Bonide brand Fungicidal Sulphur Powder.
DB

DB or anyone who knows,

After the tubers are dug up, cleaned and dried, are they suppose to feel a little tender to the touch?? Not mushy but just not hard like when they are ready to be planted in the spring?

If I put the tubers in the fridge, should the bag be left open?

Tubers should be firm, like a fresh potato. Springy suggests that is is de-hydrated.

If the frige is a frost free, it will dry out the tuber. My plastic bags are kept closed, BUT, I do keep an eye open for condensation inside the bag. When that happens, I put a dry paper towel inside for a few days to absorb the excess moisture, removing it later. If available, I will use those little bags of desiccant.

Ed thank you for taking the time to type out this information for us.

ML

Thanks grannymarsh,

I plan on getting a fridge in my basement to store the tubers because the temp fluctuations in my garage worry me. I have mine in bags of vermiculite. Do you have any idea if vacuum sealing those bags will help with shriveling/condensation?

If I remember right, vacuum sealing wasn't recommended by Bernie Mandella who helped pioneer the Saran Wrap method. It'd be interesting to try it on a few though, just for comparison. I did wrap some in foil last year and they did just fine.

For the record, I'm going to try Ed's method at the top of this thread for a few stray tubers this year. The majority of others will go in Saran wrap.

I'm still trying to figure out how best to store Dahlias here in Minnesota. I do have a good place for them but each year when I try to preserve them I always have some die. I've tried the plastic wrap and they rotted. Otherwise, if I put them in paper bags and into the storage area they tend to just dry out. Sometimes I take them out of storage in Feb. and soak them in the sink so that they won't dry out and that seems to help. In March I plant them in pots to get them an early start. I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it to save them or if I should just buy new every spring. I always end up buying some of them to replace the ones that don't make it through the winter. In zone 4, (long winter), I'd be interested in knowing how you store yours. If you use the baggie/vermiculite method, what does the vermiculite do to preserve the dahlia bulbs? Thanks.

Hi there,
There was a post about stored tubers sprouting early and growing excessive chlorotic folliage but you seem to be the expert on Dahlias so I will try a question here too.
I just opened up my box of stored tubers (in peat moss in the basement) and some of the sprouts are up to 2 feet long with small leaves. Of course the colour is whitish and light green having had no light.
What should I do? Should I just bury the stems like you would a tomato plant? Should I cut any of the stem off? It is still too cold to plant in the ground here so should I go ahead and plant them in pots just to get them out of the box? Or should I leave them until I can plant them straight in the ground?
Thanks!