"judith lea" wrote in message
ups.com...

Baal wrote:

Visited my dad this afternoon who had planned to lift his dahlia tubers
but
felt too tired. Insisted I did the digging for him. Took me just a
little
while (bit younger and fitter).

So pleased as they are now lifted and drying in a more appropriate
environment than frozen/frosty ground!.

Baal, why do you lift them? I have a lot of Dahlia and when I planted
them I put them in deeper than recommended on a thin bed of sand and
despite dreadful East of England winters they survive.


Yes -the good drainage bit is the solution to overwinter "so called" tender
exotics. Dahlias-Canna-Gingers etc. Dahlias are fine but the rest will be
slow to start growth around this area and will consequently flower very
late.
I am amazed at the sort of stuff that people are planting and successfully
overwintering. Less than half a mile from me a chap has a banana (basjoo)
still blasting out new leaves despite the odd sub zero evening.
Cacti seem to be the latest craze amongst the exotic crowd--big "sod off"
things that grow well in 90% grit and 10% rubbish soil.
Sorry about that quick ramble but Drainage is the answer to many
overwintering problems.