"Dave Hill" wrote in message
...

On Nov 16, 10:09 am, "Bertie Doe" wrote:
Mine have all stopped flowering. I have a couple dozen in a small area on
the allotment. Location exposed, 500'amsl and East facing.
I believe you are meant to lift them, trim the stems down to 6" and
turned
upside-down for a length of time:-

1. How long to keep the exposed to the elements?

2. Would it pay me to wash any soil off first?

Here's the forecast for the SW for next couple of
days.http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/...t_weather.html

They will be wrapped in crumpled newspaper and bagged in the loft.
Many thanks for your replies.
Bertie

I have been lifting now for a couple of weeks, I lift in the morning
leaving the tubers on the surface; after removing as much soil as
possible; to dry then box in the afternoon, I cut the stems back to
around 3 inches and place the tubers upside down in the boxes, these
are then moved inside to carry on drying,
In early Jan I turn the tubers the right way up and bed them into the
boxes with moist compost ready to start into growth for me to take
cuttings.
If you are going to store the tubers in newspaper no problem, but I'd
put them intocardboard or wooden boxes rather than bags.
You dont say if they are first year tubers or older ones.
Some people wash any soil off the tubers (sometinea using a weak
bleach solution.) and dust with flowers of sulphur prior to storing.

Thanks Dave, these are mainly 3, 4 and 5 year old plants. Winter of 09/10 I
left them in the ground and no damage done. Last winter was cooler and I
lost 4 plants. Winter of 08/09 they were in loft and I lost 3 - as you say,
this could be due to dampness in plastic carrier bags.
Raining as I write, but tomorrow should be ok, I'll try your method. Looking
at the radar, the rains reached you:-
http://www.raintoday.co.uk/