How to keep dahlias until spring - the best ways for an apartment and a private house

Tell me how to keep dahlias until spring? This year I was left without flowers, all my tubers disappeared in the cellar. The first time this happened, before they always lay normally. True, due to this weather, it was damp in the cellar, which was probably the reason. I had to rebuild my collection and buy new dahlias. Maybe they should be treated with something before storage? And then it will be a pity if these are also lost, paid for them decently.

Dahlias can rightfully be called the queens of late summer and autumn flower beds, because with their varied color and beauty they are not inferior to roses. But unlike the latter, they are very thermophilic and must be dug out for the winter. Therefore, the question of how to save dahlias until spring is very relevant for flower growers. It is important not to dry juicy tubers so that they do not lose moisture and dry out. At the same time, the increased importance in the storage location is also dangerous: from it the tubers will rot by winter.

At the same time, proper storage organization is only half the battle. It is also important to have time to dig up the plants in time, and not to allow them to be damaged by autumn frosts. And, of course, prepare the tubers for wintering.

When to dig dahlias for storage

There is no exact date when it is time to move flowers from the garden to the premises. It all depends on the climate of the growing region. In the south, warm weather can last until October, while in the middle zone frosts are possible already in early September. It is on this factor and on the appearance of the bushes that you should focus on. As soon as the dahlia leaves droop and sagged after the first frost, you need to dig.

When digging, it is important not to damage the tubers. To do this, first cut off the stems, but leaving 20 cm hemp so that you can take the bush with your hands. Then dig it up from all sides and gently pull it out, helping with a shovel. Now the hemp from the stem can already be removed.

Dahlias should be dug out during a dry hike so that moisture does not get into the cuts and they do not rot.

Tuber preparation

Excavated dahlias must be prepared:

• clear the earth by washing;
• remove all missing tubers (they will be shriveled and empty);
• spray with a solution of potassium permanganate;
• dry for 2 weeks outside, but under a roof, so that the rain does not get wet;
• once again inspect the tubers, cut thin and broken ones;
• process cuts and stumps fungicide, for example, Vitaros.

How to keep dahlias until spring

Ideal conditions for storing tubers are cool about 7 ° C, heat and humidity not higher than 75%. A similar microclimate is usually in the basement or on the insulated balcony.

As for the storage methods, there are several of them. Can be used:

1. Clay and paper. The tubers are first dipped in a clay mash, then wrapped in several layers of paper.
2. Paraffin.
3. Sawdust. They are pretreated with a solution of copper sulfate (1 tbsp. L. Preparation for 1.5 liters of boiling water). Wet sawdust is poured into the bottom of the box, dahlias are laid out and covered with a second layer.
4. Sand. Tubers are laid on dry sand and covered with burlap.

The listed methods are more often used in a private house when there is a place for storing dahlias outside the premises. You can also save tubers in an apartment, and everything is quite simple. They are simply wrapped in regular plastic wrap and taken out into a cool room.

When to dig dahlias and how to keep them without a cellar