Last nights frost finnished off my dahlias, turning
the leaves brownish black.

Next task is digging them up, drying and cleaning them
for storeage.

How do folks dry/clean them?

I've done different things:

1) Washed them striaght away under a tap/hose to
remove all the mud/stone etc, then left them upside
down in the garage to dry.

2) Just put them in the garage upside down as they
come, leave them to dry, mud and all, then eventually
shake/dig out all the dry mud.

3) Dig/scrape out all the wet mud that I can straight
away, before leaveing and treating like option 2.
Problem with this is that it is easy to damage the
skin on the tubers as it is still tender.


What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

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"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
Last nights frost finnished off my dahlias, turning
the leaves brownish black.

Next task is digging them up, drying and cleaning them
for storeage.

How do folks dry/clean them?

I've done different things:

1) Washed them striaght away under a tap/hose to
remove all the mud/stone etc, then left them upside
down in the garage to dry.

2) Just put them in the garage upside down as they
come, leave them to dry, mud and all, then eventually
shake/dig out all the dry mud.

3) Dig/scrape out all the wet mud that I can straight
away, before leaveing and treating like option 2.
Problem with this is that it is easy to damage the
skin on the tubers as it is still tender.


What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!

We don't dry ours, we pot them and put them in the (unheated) greenhouse
over winter. Mind you, we live in the mild south.

Steve

In article ,
says...

"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
Last nights frost finnished off my dahlias, turning
the leaves brownish black.

Next task is digging them up, drying and cleaning them
for storeage.

How do folks dry/clean them?

I've done different things:

1) Washed them striaght away under a tap/hose to
remove all the mud/stone etc, then left them upside
down in the garage to dry.

2) Just put them in the garage upside down as they
come, leave them to dry, mud and all, then eventually
shake/dig out all the dry mud.

3) Dig/scrape out all the wet mud that I can straight
away, before leaveing and treating like option 2.
Problem with this is that it is easy to damage the
skin on the tubers as it is still tender.


What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!

We don't dry ours, we pot them and put them in the (unheated) greenhouse
over winter. Mind you, we live in the mild south.

Steve

I've got about 15, and they are all big and getting
bigger, despite dividing them! They would need at
least an 18inch pot, probably bigger, and I've only
got a small greenhouse. They would not fit, and I'm
sure they would freeze in the winter. Minus 5 at the
coldest point of last winter in there!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

On 2013-11-13 12:28:10 +0000, Roger Tonkin said:

Last nights frost finnished off my dahlias, turning
the leaves brownish black.

Next task is digging them up, drying and cleaning them
for storeage.

How do folks dry/clean them?

I've done different things:

1) Washed them striaght away under a tap/hose to
remove all the mud/stone etc, then left them upside
down in the garage to dry.

2) Just put them in the garage upside down as they
come, leave them to dry, mud and all, then eventually
shake/dig out all the dry mud.

3) Dig/scrape out all the wet mud that I can straight
away, before leaveing and treating like option 2.
Problem with this is that it is easy to damage the
skin on the tubers as it is still tender.


What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!

Perhaps this is another for a resurrected FAQ?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In article ,
says...

Perhaps this is another for a resurrected FAQ?



Sorry if it has been asked before. Not in my time on
the urg, which is why I asked it. Only one real reply
so far!

That makes me think that possibly there is quite a
turnover of lurkers/infrequent posters, so that such
questions will be repeated. May be I should have
googled first!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

On 13/11/2013 20:54, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article ,
says...

Perhaps this is another for a resurrected FAQ?



Sorry if it has been asked before. Not in my time on
the urg, which is why I asked it. Only one real reply
so far!

That makes me think that possibly there is quite a
turnover of lurkers/infrequent posters, so that such
questions will be repeated. May be I should have
googled first!

It is an age old dilemma how and when to lift dahlia tubers, it's almost
like how and when to prune roses.
"Don't lift till the plants have been cut back by the frost", but the
Dutch growers run a flail mower over the plants whilst they are still
growing and then lift a few days later, they don't have the worry about
soil on the tubers as their soil is almost sand so falls of easily.
If you can let the frost cut them back then lift, preferably when the
soil isn't mud,.
"Cut the stems off about 6 to 8 inches long and put the roots upside
down to drain". That's OK if you have a couple of dozen but if you have
hundreds it's not very practicable,
"Hose off all the soil from the tubers" OK if you have light soil but
with heavier soil you can skin the tubers.
In the US they leave the tubers in for 7 to 10 days to let the new eyes
develop a little then they lift, wash then split the tubers into
individual "Chicken Legs"(as we would call them) then wrap each one in
Saran wrap (cling film ) and store them in a multitude of ways, mostly
in frost free cellars, and on the Dahlia group it's normal for some to
bemoan the fact they have lost 20% of their tubers (or more) over winter.
Every year there is a long debate about how to treat and store the
tubers, do you dip in disinfectant, do you store them wrapped or un
wrapped, what temp. etc etc.
I lift my tubers when I can get on the ground, Remove what soil I can by
hand, trim the stems to 2 or 3 inches and pack then in a single layer in
Mushroom trays, (the ones like tomato trays). then stack the trays in a
frost free poly tunnel. In January I will go through the trays,
I use the same sort of trays, line the bottom with a single sheet of
paper,(radio times works well).
An inch or so of peat or compost to bed the tubers into, a variety to a
tray, (getting in all the tubers I can in each tray), at this point I
tease off more soil if there is any without damaging the tubers, and cut
off any damaged or soft parts, then I cover them with more compost,
(This helps insulate them should the frost get in). The compost is only
just moist.
The trays can either be stacked again 3 or 4 high or set out ready for
when you want to start them into growth, (Remember I am after cuttings
from them all)
My tubers are either first or 2nd year so are not to large..
When I start them into growth I water them having added a bit of washing
up liquid to the water as a wetting agent, this helps the dry compost
take up water and doesn't harm the plants.
After taking cuttings the tubers can be removed from the trays and
planted out when ready, or they can be potted prior to planting out.
Large tubers such as you get from Dahlia Imperialis are more difficult
owing to their size, but I treat them basically the same, though some
have to be potted up from lifting.
Last year D. Tenuicaulis was potted into a 25 litre tub and didn't die
back over winter so was still 6ft or so tall when I came back into growth.
Hope this helps.
David @ a now yet again wet side of Swansea bay.

On Wed, 13 Nov 2013 21:46:08 +0000, David Hill
wrote:

It is an age old dilemma how and when to lift dahlia tubers, it's almost
like how and when to prune roses.

A very full, comprehensive, and helpful post.
Thanks

Roger Tonkin wrote:

snipped
What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!
Here in Cornwall I was talking to an elderly very experienced gardener
who tells me that he leaves his in the ground but covered with fleece or
sacking to protect them from the frost. He tells me he's done this for
50 years, and can see no reason to alter his gardening practice.

Peter

--
-
The e-mail address obviously doesn't exist. If it's essential
that you contact me then try peterATpfjamesDOTcoDOTuk

It is an age old dilemma how and when to lift dahlia tubers, it's almost
like how and when to prune roses.

A very full, comprehensive, and helpful post.
Thanks

I will second that comment and thanks. I am just wondering what to do with
my first ever dahlia. (Bishop of Auckland) It is in a dry sheltered spot
near the house and I was toying with the idea of leaving it in the ground.
How much wet will they stand over winter? (I am a few miles north of Bodnant
Gardens in North Wales)
T.

On 14/11/2013 08:53, Peter James wrote:
Roger Tonkin wrote:

snipped
What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!
Here in Cornwall I was talking to an elderly very experienced gardener
who tells me that he leaves his in the ground but covered with fleece or
sacking to protect them from the frost. He tells me he's done this for
50 years, and can see no reason to alter his gardening practice.

Peter

That's fine if you don't want to take cuttings to increase your stock,
though in time you loose the quality and size of flower.
To over winter tubers in the ground you need to have good drainage, more
tubers are lost to rot than from frosting.
David

On 14/11/2013 09:11, Tahiri wrote:
It is an age old dilemma how and when to lift dahlia tubers, it's almost
like how and when to prune roses.

A very full, comprehensive, and helpful post.
Thanks

I will second that comment and thanks. I am just wondering what to do with
my first ever dahlia. (Bishop of Auckland) It is in a dry sheltered spot
near the house and I was toying with the idea of leaving it in the ground.
How much wet will they stand over winter? (I am a few miles north of Bodnant
Gardens in North Wales)
T.


Impossible to say how much wet they will stand, it depends on the
drainage you have.
If you leave it in and cover it remember the slugs will also have
shelter, and in the spring you will have to put down slug pellets or
they will graze any shoots coming up.
I'd be inclined to lift the plant, pot it up and keep it somewhere frost
free, them start it into growth in the spring and replant it late May .
David

I will second that comment and thanks. I am just wondering what to do
with
my first ever dahlia. (Bishop of Auckland) It is in a dry sheltered spot
near the house and I was toying with the idea of leaving it in the
ground.
How much wet will they stand over winter? (I am a few miles north of
Bodnant
Gardens in North Wales)
T.


Impossible to say how much wet they will stand, it depends on the drainage
you have.
If you leave it in and cover it remember the slugs will also have shelter,
and in the spring you will have to put down slug pellets or they will
graze any shoots coming up.
I'd be inclined to lift the plant, pot it up and keep it somewhere frost
free, them start it into growth in the spring and replant it late May .
David

Thank you, David. I had forgotten about slugs!

On 2013-11-13 20:54:00 +0000, Roger Tonkin said:

In article ,
says...

Perhaps this is another for a resurrected FAQ?



Sorry if it has been asked before. Not in my time on
the urg, which is why I asked it. Only one real reply
so far!

That makes me think that possibly there is quite a
turnover of lurkers/infrequent posters, so that such
questions will be repeated. May be I should have
googled first!

Not at all, Roger. I was thinking only that it must be an annual
problem for Dahlia lovers, wherever they live and depending on where
they live. We don't lift ours and - touching wood - most seem to
survive. But we're in the comparatively balmy, if wet, south west. Ray
will probably chuck an extra layer of mulch over them. So that's why I
thought of the FAQ because it is an annual dilemma and because it will
probably be qualified by where people live. So it could be useful in
the FAQ.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
Last nights frost finnished off my dahlias, turning
the leaves brownish black.

Next task is digging them up, drying and cleaning them
for storeage.

How do folks dry/clean them?

I've done different things:

1) Washed them striaght away under a tap/hose to
remove all the mud/stone etc, then left them upside
down in the garage to dry.

2) Just put them in the garage upside down as they
come, leave them to dry, mud and all, then eventually
shake/dig out all the dry mud.

3) Dig/scrape out all the wet mud that I can straight
away, before leaveing and treating like option 2.
Problem with this is that it is easy to damage the
skin on the tubers as it is still tender.


What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!


--
Roger T

My aunt has an Indian gardener, he doesn't bother trying to save them. He
takes the flakes from the seedheads, spreads them over the top of a pot of
compost in the unheated greenhouse and leaves them, voila, in the spring,
lots of baby dahlias! My aunt always has lots of dahlias.
Tina

On 16/11/2013 01:08, Christina Websell wrote:
"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
Last nights frost finnished off my dahlias, turning
the leaves brownish black.

Next task is digging them up, drying and cleaning them
for storeage.

How do folks dry/clean them?

I've done different things:

1) Washed them striaght away under a tap/hose to
remove all the mud/stone etc, then left them upside
down in the garage to dry.

2) Just put them in the garage upside down as they
come, leave them to dry, mud and all, then eventually
shake/dig out all the dry mud.

3) Dig/scrape out all the wet mud that I can straight
away, before leaveing and treating like option 2.
Problem with this is that it is easy to damage the
skin on the tubers as it is still tender.


What do other people do, from my point of view the
easier the better!


--
Roger T

My aunt has an Indian gardener, he doesn't bother trying to save them. He
takes the flakes from the seedheads, spreads them over the top of a pot of
compost in the unheated greenhouse and leaves them, voila, in the spring,
lots of baby dahlias! My aunt always has lots of dahlias.
Tina


The brown "Flakes" are known as seeds