dahlia tubers?

Question

are dahlia tubers supposed to be dug up and saved for the next year or are they thrown away?

Answer 1

Whether you leave them in the ground depends on winter wet as well as temperatures. I live in zone 7b and regularly experience freezing temperatures but my dahlias are always left over in the ground because I have such sandy soil. I do lift them every three to four years to split them but I replant them rather than store them.
Dahlias are very prone to rotting whether stored indoors in sand or left in the ground if they are too wet. If stored indoors it pays to dust with sulfur to prevent fungal growth.
Where ever you live you leave them in the ground until the first killing frost blackens the leaves before lifting.
If you live in zone 8 or warmer and do not have heavy soil or a high water table leaving them in the ground may be an option.

Answer 2

Yes they are supposed to be dug and stored. Freezing , if let outside will destroy the tuber.
In the fall, dig the tuber. Get as much dirt off as possible. Cut off the green growth, leaving about 1- 2 inches of stem from the tuber ( this is where the new growth will come from when replanted). Dry them slightly on newspaper 1-2 days , out of direct sun. Then place then loosely in peat moss in a bucket or container. Cover completely with the peat moss. Store in a cool dry place.

Answer 3

At the end of the growing season, tuber-grown dahlias should be dug and stored for the winter in a frost-free place. Immediately after the first frost and after leaves have blackened, cut the stem back to about six inches above the ground. Then use a fork to loosen the soil around the tuber and lift out of the soil. Remove surplus soil from the tuber. Place the tubers upside down in a dry airy space for about two weeks. This allows moisture to drain out of stems. The tubers need to be completely dry before they are stored for the winter. Next store the tubers in trays of dry sand or peat moss in a cool, dry cellar or storage area at about 40 to 45 degrees F. Never store at a much higher temperature, as dahlia tubers will dry out and shrivel rapidly. Another method of storing includes placing tubers in a heavy-grade, black plastic bag without additional packing material. Then seal the bag. This will prevent the tubers from dehydrating. Keep the tubers in a frost-free area. The danger exists, however, that they will sweat and rot. Inspect the tubers every few weeks during the winter to check for disease or shriveling. Cut off any diseased parts and, if the tubers have shriveled, place them in a bucket of water overnight to plump them up. Allow them to dry thoroughly before returning them to storage.

Answer 4

They are considered a tender bulb. Which means they can't take freezing. My Dad grew them & I did them a few years. I was told that you wait for the first frost to turn the foliage black/brown then cut it down, pull the tuber, carefully so it doesn't break, clean off the soil & store in peat or vermiculite. In a cool dry & dark place. In the spring you can divide them before replanting. Wait until any danger of frost has passed before putting in the ground. You can give them a headstart by putting them in a pot & keeping it in a sunny window.
I cheated & put them in a pot then buried the pot in the ground for the summer. Pulled the pot for the winter without touching the tubers. Stored in the old coal room of my basement where it gets very cold but not feezing. It worked well for me until I just got plain old lazy one year & didn't lift the pot.
Have fun ~ they're beautiful flowers

Answer 5

If you live in a climate where it freezes you need to dig them up and store them in a dark dry place for the winter and replant them in the spring.