skip to main content

NEW TO DAHLIAS: When to dig the tubers?

pinkmauisunset (Zone 5-Central MA)

7 years ago

I just started growing dahlias this summer and they turned out gorgeous so I want to make sure I pull them out of the ground at the right time. I'm in Zone 5. It's getting cold at night but my dahlias are going strong.

They started blooming mid-July. This is only from 2 plants (well I ordered two but one of them had multiple tubers in one bag) but somehow I have 3 types of blooms. Not bad for around d $12.

So for dahlias...when do you pull them?

This was taken yesterday....

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

cicivacation
7 years ago
What a pretty floral display! The pink one looks like Pinelands Princess, one of my all-time favs.

The easiest time to dig in zone 5 is right after a hard frost, where all the blooms and leaves turn to slime. (Growers in warmer climates should dig before the winter rains are on them, or if leaving in the ground, provide good drainage or tarp well to avoid tubers rotting.) You chop off everything about four inches from the ground, leaving a 'handle' with the bottom stalk to assist you in digging and leveraging it from the ground. Dig a circle about six inches around each stalk, and pry it out using the spade and stalk handle.

Storage is a whole different topic, and there are many ways to do it and even more ways to fail at it. ;-) 'Digging' is a much easier subject then 'Storage.' If you search this forum for 'storing dahlias,' the previous posts on this topic will keep you entertained for this millennia.
eczekalski
7 years ago
It's a very scary time. Like playing chicken. In our zone we want to dig them after the tops are frozen but if you wait too long and the ground freezes to the level of the tubers, you've lost them. If you can, cut the tops off after they die, as above but give the tubers a couple more weeks in the ground to toughen up. If you can.
Related Discussions
When do I dig down the tubers in chicago? (Z5)
Q
Comments (1)
"Hi all, I have a couple of dahlia tubers but am unsure as of when.. " I am not sure what you are trying to ask. If it is when to plant, do NOT plant until all danger of frost is past. "And, more importantly, how much depth do they need in the bed? I have a 8 inches high bed but it rests on concrete tiles so thats' as deep as it would get... " They should be 3-4 inches below the surface of the soil. It your bed is only 8 inches deep, then that is all they get. They will send out their roots horizontally. I would not plant them too close either.
...See More
New to Dahlias and tubers. Please help!
Q
Comments (6)
Califox I live in San Francisco and have about 15 dahlias in different sized pots. So they can grow well in pots but Ted is correct - it takes more work AND by far the most important thing is size of the pot and soil. Firstly, only one tuber per pot unless you have a huge 14 inch pot and want to try growing a low dahlias (3') IN FRONT of a larger dahlia (4 1/2 -5 '), which I have done with success. Assuming you only have 1 to a pot, my advice is make the pot as large as possible (at least 8" and preferably 10-12") and use a combo of potting soil and regular garden soil. The next main thing is DO NOT Water until they sprout and show about 4-6 inches of sprout. Expect first year dahlias to maybe show reluctance to growing. I've found 2nd and 3rd year dahlias do much better than they did in their first year. Some people advocate moving the pot around according to heat or cold and amount of sun. I am not a fan of that myself - I have some growing in SHADE for the most part and they 'took' just fine. I also found they adapt to their conditions and moving them around never gives them the opportunity to establish a sun pattern they can grow into. but this is your choice - again, many people say move them from one area to another so I assume they also get good results. Good luck.
...See More
when to dig up my dahlia roots (tubers)?
Q
Comments (4)
Dear ladybugsmon192: I raise dahlias in Marin county, Ca. Dig them up in early Jan. That way you can see how many more tubers you have of each variety and the joy of the "free" expansion of your tubers is exhilarating. Be sure to label them as quickly as possible as an unlabeled tuber is a "weed". How to divide tubers is shown in pics on the internet and you have to see how its done once and then you are off. Join a local dahlia society and you will have all the expertise you need at your fingertips. They probably have a local "dahlia" dell that they maintain and you can volunteer as much or as little as you want to gain experience.
...See More
New to Dahlias. help my tubers are drying out
Q
Comments (14)
Love opposing views. I have been storing dahlia tubers in plastic bags for over 20 years now and I do not seal the bag so there is some air getting in there and my success rate is outstanding. I store several thousand tubers each year. Not only do cardboard boxes wick moisture but they also can rot when they they get moist and can cause rotten tubers. And I have heard of very many people having their entire crop of tubers eaten by mice that chewed through the cardboard boxes. I experimented with the potting soil and put my best tubers in it. They stored much worse than those in vermiculite and sprouted in storage weeks before the others. Sprouting while in storage is not good. Potting soil is not a good storage medium. I would use nothing at all in preference to potting soil. Swan island Dahlias uses no storage medium and places their tubers into plastic tulip crates that are lined on the top and bottom with sheets of newspaper. There success rate is pretty good and they store several hundred thousand tubers each year. However, they have a dedicated potato root cellar for their storage facility and the temps an humidity are ideal. Off gassing does not occur in plastic bags at any rate that hurts tubers if you use vermiculite in the bag and/or you dry the tubers before storage.
...See More
pinkmauisunset (Zone 5-Central MA)
Original Author
7 years ago
cicivacation...Thank you... one of them is Pinelands Princess, I love it! So I'll wait for slime :) That seems easy to figure out. Thank you for the description of digging, I think I have the storage part down but I'm nervous about when/how to dig.

eczekaiski...sounds like I'll have to be keeping a close eye on them from now on. So how do you know if the ground is freezing? Should I get a soil thermometer?
eczekalski
7 years ago
If you are getting temps in the teens, ground will probably freeze. But it's weather, it's complicated. If the tubers are four or five inches down, you can have a thin crust and still be OK. That's when you can break through with a trowel. I'm often lifting frozen mulch to plant tulips, for example. But I'm nervous about my investment in tubers and would dig if I thought the ground was likely to freeze. A soil thermometer is still a good idea though it's most helpful in the spring, to make sure it's warm enough to plant.
pinkmauisunset (Zone 5-Central MA)
Original Author
7 years ago
Good point, I will get a thermometer now and I'll be prepared for the confusing spring temperatures come next year.

Related Stories

FLOWERS Great Design Plant: Dahlias

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Pick this flamboyant stunner for its amazing array of colors and faces, fast growth and sizes that can fill a pot or a whole garden

COOL-SEASON CROPS Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Potatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

This ever-popular tuber is a stalwart in spring and fall gardens and a staple in kitchens everywhere

GARDENING GUIDES 7 Tropical Bulbs for a Summer Garden That Wows

By Steve Asbell

Try these stunners in summer's powerful heat for garden thrills with an exotic flair

GARDENING GUIDES Pacific Northwest Gardener's August Checklist

By Genevieve Schmidt

Deadheading perennials, cutting raspberry canes and preparing for the onion harvest keeps Northwest gardeners busy in August

INSPIRING GARDENS 12 Storybook Cottage Gardens

By Becky Harris

If you want a bewitching cottage garden but aren’t sure where to start, these ideas will get you planting in no time

GARDENING GUIDES Southern California Gardener's September Checklist

By Margie Grace - Grace Design Associates

Before prime planting time, clean out the old garden, prepare for the new, and dream up ideas for fall flowers and veggies

0

GARDENING GUIDES Great Lakes Gardener's September Checklist

By Barbara Pintozzi

Watching wildlife, gathering leaves and watching a rainbow of roses and asters are high priorities in Great Lakes gardens this month

0

FALL GARDENING Make This Fall’s Garden the Best Ever

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Learn the most important tip for preventing buyer’s remorse, plus get more valuable buying and planting advice

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Usonian-Inspired Home With All the Wright Moves

By Nora Burba Trulsson

A Chicago couple's weekend retreat fulfills a long-held dream of honoring architect Frank Lloyd Wright

DECORATING GUIDES Color Feast: Yes, You Can Use Blue in the Dining Room

By Jennifer Ott Design

The sky's the limit for beautiful blues in your home's dining spaces; here's how to make it work

Sponsored

EK Interior Design

5 Reviews

TIMELESS INTERIOR DESIGN FOR ENDLESS MEMORIES

More Discussions

Can I start Dahlias inside in cardboard boxes instead of pots?

4