When to dig up dahlias in 2020 and how to store them

Dahlias are bright and beautiful flowers that are hard to resist. Despite this, gardeners often avoid growing them. They argue that digging up the flowers in the fall and replanting them in the spring is a hassle and not always effective. However, experts say it's not that difficult. Knowing how to store the rhizomes after digging them up at home can help anyone achieve good results. The planting material will remain intact until spring, and eventually grow into a healthy plant. It's difficult to say when the best time to perform the procedure is. The timing varies from year to year. In 2020, it will be different.

Necessity of the procedure

Dahlias are striking representatives of the Asteraceae family. They are native to the foothills of Latin America. They were brought to Europe only 400 years ago. Dahlias are heat-loving, so they must be dug up for the winter. Their root system consists of fleshy, voluminous tubers that store nutrients. Freezing these tubers can lead to rot and subsequent death. Growth buds are located close to or directly on the root collar, which, in turn, is located at the very surface of the soil. Even with the best insulation, it is impossible to protect the plants from the cold winter. Frost damages the buds and freezes the juicy tubers. Damaged dahlias do not revive.

These days, you often come across information about cold-hardy varieties that don't need to be dug up. This is especially true for low-growing varieties. However, this isn't true. Any dahlia won't survive in the ground in most regions of Russia. In the southernmost regions with warm and snowy winters, the flowers can theoretically be left in the flowerbed. They can be protected from light frosts with a thick layer of sawdust. In reality, local gardeners have often lost flowers in winter due to root rot in the damp, cold soil. Therefore, it's best not to take any chances.

Deadlines

It's hard to say when dig up dahlias In the fall of 2020, it's impossible. The exact date depends on climate and weather conditions. Even experienced gardeners who have lived in the same place for a long time cannot pinpoint the exact time. One year, plants may be dug up in the last week of September, another year, at the end of October. Typically, in August, with the onset of cool weather, the bushes are earthed up to a height of 20 cm. This protects the growing buds from unexpected frosts. The plant blooms profusely throughout the first month of fall.

They are starting to digWhen frost hits the plant, it's important to complete the work within three days, no later. Delaying this step will cause the green mass to rot and the infection to spread to the underground parts. Typical digging times by region are as follows:

1. Central Russia and the Moscow region – the first week of October. September is still warm here, and temperatures only drop slightly.
2. The south – late October and early November. These regions have a mild climate and warm winters. Sometimes the above-ground portion of the plant remains intact. However, this doesn't mean the tubers are not ripe. They are still removed from the ground.
3. The Urals and Siberia. Here, cold weather arrives 20-30 days earlier than in the Moscow region. To enjoy the flowers in the summer, residents of northern regions plant dahlias outdoors in June, already grown. The delicate plants are protected from frost and, if necessary, covered with lutrasil. Early-ripening varieties are typically purchased. Harvesting begins in early to mid-September.

Sometimes a summer resident needs to leave for their permanent residence, but the frosts haven't yet set in. If forecasters predict temperatures dropping below freezing in the coming days, digging up dahlias for storage is safe. In any case, it's important to follow the lunar calendar. Tubers dug up on favorable days store better. The resulting plants bloom profusely and are disease-free.

Dahlias are dug around with a pitchfork on all sides, leaving a depth of about 30 cm. Then, the top layer of soil is removed by hand and the root system is carefully lifted out using a garden tool. Before digging up frost-damaged plants, the stems are shortened, leaving 15 cm tall stumps. Tag the variety name to these stumps immediately. If the green foliage is intact and undamaged by frost, dig up the dahlias in the morning. The removed tubers are spread out on the grass and left overnight. This allows some of the nutrients to transfer from the above-ground portion to the underground portion.

Preparation

Preparing the planting material begins with washing it. Once it's clean, it's inspected. The old root is discarded. It's prone to rot and unproductive. It's recognizable by the following signs: it's the largest and covered in tubercles. After this, the small roots are cut off with a sterile instrument. They will dry out over the winter anyway. Small shoots and nodules are also removed. They're useless. After this culling, only large, high-quality elements remain in the rhizome. Tubers affected by disease or pests are discarded. However, if they only have small wormholes, and you don't want to lose your favorite variety, you can cut out the suspected areas and try to save the remaining ones.

Next, divide the plant. If this is not done, the following year the plant will produce many thin shoots. The buds will be small. In severe cases, flowering may be absent altogether. Dividing is not difficult. To do this, first shorten the stems. These should be stumps about 6 cm high. Then, divide the rhizomes so that each one has several buds. If the buds are weak and the rhizomes are firm, skip this procedure.

The planting material is then disinfected by immersing it in a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides. In the former case, 1 g of potassium permanganate is dissolved in a bucket of water. The tubers are soaked in the resulting solution for 30 minutes. Dahlias are also often treated with a 0.2% solution of Fundazol. The planting material is soaked in it for 2-3 hours. Finally, the tubers are transferred to a well-ventilated, dark, and cool room. There, they are left to dry. If the tubers are stored wet, they will sooner or later rot. Complete drying can take up to two weeks.

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Storage

To ensure proper storage of tubers, they need favorable conditions. The ideal temperature is 5-8°C. Humidity levels should be 60-80%. A cellar or basement is a good microclimate for planting material. If the air is too dry, humidify it by placing a container of water in it. It's important to keep the storage area dark. Artificial light sources are permitted, but should not be used for extended periods.

If you don't have a cellar or basement, you can store the rhizomes in a pantry, refrigerator, or unheated, glassed-in balcony. In extreme cases, the tubers can be left indoors, but they will dry out and shrivel over the winter. Planting material that has undergone such changes is of poor quality and doesn't always revive.

Typically, flower growers use the following to store dahlia baskets:

1. Paraffin. A container filled with it is placed in a water bath to melt. The planting material is first dipped in the melted substance for 2-3 seconds, then immersed in cold water. This storage method is the most effective.
2. Sawdust. The tubers are placed in layers in a box and sprinkled with wood shavings. The advantage of this method is that the container is lightweight. This prevents the rhizomes from sprouting prematurely. A disadvantage is the ability of dry sawdust to draw moisture. By the time of planting, the planting material may lose significant weight.
3. Sand. It helps preserve the tubers' weight and strength until the end of winter. The only drawback of sand is that it's heavy, and a lot of it is needed to cover all the planting material. Furthermore, if the substrate isn't dry enough, the tubers may start to root by spring.

If all steps are taken correctly, preserving the planting material will be possible. In this case, it's important to avoid common mistakes. For example, gardeners often fail to monitor temperature and humidity fluctuations. If this happens, rot sets in. Many people, after storing tubers, forget about them until spring. However, this is incorrect. Checking should be done every 2-3 weeks. If the planting material begins to deteriorate, discard it. Replace the growing medium with fresh one. When dahlias sprout prematurely, they are often broken off. Experts recommend instead bringing the tubers indoors and planting them in a container with vermiculite. In the spring, the grown dahlia can be transplanted to its permanent location.

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To enjoy beautiful flowers in your flowerbed next year, their rhizomes need to be dug up in the fall and stored over the winter. However, simply removing them from the soil at the right time and transferring them to storage isn't enough. To prevent them from spoiling and ensure they grow into high-quality plants in the spring, they need to be carefully prepared. This is easy and within anyone's reach.