"jellyfish" wrote in message
...
JoeSpareBedroom Wrote:
"jellyfish" wrote in message
...-
hi there, have planted some dahlia bulbs this year and they have
sprouted and come up and ive been told i need to lift them for the
winter but i dont really want to if i dont what are the repercussions
of this? and if i have to what is the best way of over-wintering them
jellyfish-
If you're in a climate where the ground freezes, it's likely your
dahlia
tubers will turn to pudding under the ground if you don't lift them. If
they're planted near a foundation or other structure where you notice
snow
melting due to the retained heat of that structure, you MIGHT get lucky
and
the plants will survive.
It's easy to think "Oh well, they were cheap. No big deal if they die.
I'll
buy more." But, it IS a big deal. If they're the dahlias that grow 4-5
feet
high and make really big flowers, those tubers improve over the years
and
produce even better. And, you can divide them and have an endless
supply of
new tubers to foist upon unsuspecting gardener friends, or total
strangers.
It's worth taking good care of them.
thanks for the advice..what would be the best way to store them?
jellyfish
Get some shredded peat moss from a real garden center. Get some Hefty jumbo
size freezer bags. Hose the soil off the dahlia roots with a hard spray. Let
them dry for a couple of days. Put the dahlia roots in the bag, fill with
peat moss. Add a tablespoon of water, or a few shots from a mist bottle. If
the peat moss was already damp when you bought it, you can ignore the water
step. Close the zipper MOST of the way, and store in a cool place, like a
corner of the basement.
Mark your calendar so you remember to check them every month until spring.
If they seem to be getting soft, add just a little water - a couple of
tablespoons, and zip up the bag.