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

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.

"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/

"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

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.

"Dave Hill" wrote in message
...


/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.

I've noticed the plants don't seem to grow as tall as when I put them in,
say 5 years ago. I suspect the soil is exhausted, despite getting 3
wheelbarrows of cow manure in December.

"Dave Hill" wrote in message
...

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

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,

Mine should all be lifted by lunchtime. Would you split now or in early
spring - I have some sulphur BTW Thanks.