On Nov 16, 3:22*pm, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
"Bertie Doe" *wrote ((SNIP))

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/

Whilst you mention leaving in the ground, we had a row out on our old
allotment for years and they only ever suffered with slug damage as the
shoots were showing. I originally planted them very deep, twice as deep as
recommended or more and that allowed them to come through the winters in an
exposed* site.
* that is always relative, before someone up a mountain in Scotland says
anything. :-)
--
Regards *Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup from the W. of London UK

The main thing that kills dahlias left in the ground is the wet not so
much the cold, though in a hard winter that will wipe them out.
As you say Bob you have to put slug bait out from mid May onwards if
you have left them in.
Leaving dahlias tubers in plastic bags will almost certainly lead to
rot unless they are 100% dry, store them in dry compost, slightly damp
pearlite or vermiculite or peat.
Large tubers, those several years old will have to be split some
people will advocate doing it straight after lifting when the stems
are still green, others leave them till early spring.
If you have several tubers of a variety I would lift one or two in
case of a hard winter,
I find If I leave tubers in the ground because I don't want them they
come up the following spring where as If I wanted them but had
forgoten them they die.
Sods Law.