It’s Only Natural

I’m not a big fan of high-maintenance plants. I love perennials — plant them and forget them (well, sort of!) and they just keep growing. But, I make an exception for dahlias.

I think they are just lovely!

So, when we were hit with a hard frost a few days ago, I hurried out to dig up my dahlia tubers, so I can plant them again next year. If you live in an area where the ground freezes, you’ll need to do the same.

Here’s what you do:

1. Dig them up carefully so as not to break their necks. And remember, even the small tubers are most likely capable of growing next year.

2. Remove the greens down close to the clump.

3. Wash all the dirt off and let them air dry for a couple of days.

4. At this point you can either store them as a clump (that’s what I do), or separate them — When you divide clumps, save all tubers with eyes because, as I mentioned,even small tubers grow well.

5. Store them in sawdust or sphagnum moss at about 40 degrees F, with some humidity. They need to breath, but not get dry. If they are too warm and wet, they will rot. If they are too cold they will freeze and rot. A box lined with a breathable plastic liner layered with clean peat moss, fine sawdust (pine works well), vermiculite or clean potting soil, then covered to prevent evaporation works well. I keep mine in my unfinished basement (near my Swallowtail butterfly who is overwintering as a pupa — which is another story).

Once the danger of frost is over, you can plant them outside — I’d recommend in places with shorter growing seasons (like my lovely state of New Hampshire) that you start them indoors early, in order to enjoy the gorgeous blooms for a longer time.