How to store your dahlia tubers
Our dahlias have been stunning this year. We’ve had the most amazing display of flowers all summer and autumn, but it's now time to lift and store them for the winter months. I’m taking you through everything you need to know so that you can decide whether to lift and store your tubers or whether to leave those dahlia tubers in the ground over winter. How, why and what to think about so you can make the right decision in your garden.
Are you lifting your dahlias? Or are you leaving them in the ground and mulching them?
Check out the channel I mentioned @gardenanswer
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Пікірлер: 139
Great video! This is a fantastic tutorial for dealing with dahlias. Some of us don't grow dahlias because of the effort to lift and store every year, but you make it look easy.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
I’ve heard quite a few folk saying they are out off by the effort of looking after them. I think for me, they are just so beautiful and plentiful that it’s absolutely worth it
I just bought my first dahlia and now know how to store it this fall. Thanks dear.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
You are so welcome!
Lovely ! I can listen to you talk all day. Thanks so much for all the good info!!
@eliandkate
7 ай бұрын
Hope it helps
I in Wisconsin USA and I store my dahlias in vermiculite in box. We have very cold winters and dry houses from having the heat on. I wet my vermiculite just a little to keep my tubers from drying out.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh that’s good to know that it is a thing. I can’t imagine being that dry but I imagine you must have times where it’s a real pain?
@cheyennedesmet5386
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate Yes, in the summer we are humid and then in the winter it is really dry in the home. I store my boxes of dahlia tubers in the basement to keep them cool.
@pamelah6431
8 ай бұрын
@@cheyennedesmet5386 just wanted to say hello, cheesehead! 🥰 I am unfortunately an IL resident but mostly work in your fine state until I find a way to get my tuckus up there permanently. Humid is the right word for our summers. Blech.
I’d love to start growing dahlias and after seeing what you’ve grown from seed I’m inspired! Garden Answer is on the border of Oregon and Idaho in the US and we have very similar climates so thank you for the perlite tip. Great tutorial, thank you!
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Glad you’ve been inspired…. My job is done
@pamelah6431
8 ай бұрын
I didn't know Laura lived that close to Idaho! Love her channel. She is very sweet.
Informative and to the point, thanks
This will be useful. Thanks!!
Great video that’s my next job to do.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
The job list feels never ending just now doesn’t it?!
very good video, I'm going to lift some and leave some in the ground and compare them. we tend to have sandy soil so it does drain well as we are on the west coast nr Southport.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh I’d love a wee bit of that. We’re on heavy clay here, fab for holding nutrients but man it stays wet. 😂
@paulinemorris5186
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate I wouldn't mind a bit of clay either because ours does dry out quickly in summer, are you growing anything different for 2023? I had some success this year with pongo beans sent to me from cumbria homestead, they are dwarf french and very productive, I have spares if you would like a few.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
If we could mix our two gardens and split half each it’d be perfect We’re still plotting and scheming for next year, May actually reduce the varieties a little… still pondering 🤔🤔🤔
@ameliabeeley4005
Жыл бұрын
I left all my dahlias in the ground over winter and they all came back this year bigger and brighter. I wave to you from my side of the water Pauline. My soil is a bit clay like, but free draining where the plants are planted.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh that’s awesome….. bigger and better… bring it on!!!
So useful video! Thank you very much ! It's always nice to see that you are using "hori hori", my country's product! Please keep you warm!
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Thanks YH Hori Horis are a really popular garden tool with folks on this channel. AI absolutely love mine
@pamelah6431
8 ай бұрын
Mine is permanently stationed on my hip along with my Felco 2. Can't do without it! Although it did take a bite out of my thumb this year... good reminder to respect that sucker! I use the AM Leo deluxe soil knife - the serrations kick butt (and finger) and the inch markings are super helpful. 😊
Great video and timely to as I'm planning lifting mine this week- NE England and very wet in the winter. I had a summer problem with rats in the shed so I'm storing mine in the Greenhouse I have a couple heated propagators for the chilli plants so they are going under there tables.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh I wondered as well Ian, we have occasionally seen evidence of mice around the shed, so will be keeping an eye on that
I love your videos. Thank you for such good instruction.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Hopefully it helps Donna
Thank you 🥰 im learning gardening so this was really helpful ❤
@eliandkate
7 ай бұрын
That’s brilliant glad it’s helped
The last 2 years I've left mine in the ground here in East Anglia, fully expecting I might lose them. It certainly makes for a nice surprise come spring. The content is fantastic
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
and here was me thinking East Anglia was tropical :D Have I completely misjudged that one Bethy?
@bethyholapussycat1618
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate Compared to Scotland it is. LOL. I should say (touch wood) my dahlias have returned. (I also watch Garden Answer - Laura is a hive of info too) I've only really started gardening in the last 12 months, I just wish I'd seen your "choosing a greenhouse" vid before I purchased my Palram Canopia Rion Ecogrow 6x6 - I should have gone bigger)
Good tips there Eli if you want to lift your dahlias. I have to say I left all mine in the pots last year, but gave them a good mulch and moved them nearer to the house walls and lo and behold they came up again. I was really surprised. I'm doing it again this year, so we'll see!
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Hurrah It’s great when you make a wee discovery like that 😍
🤣 Sorry Eli, but at 2:10, with the hat, the earrings and the hori hori, you look like the Potting Pirate. Gave me chuckles! 😂😂💗 Thanks for that.
@pamelah6431
8 ай бұрын
😂
I’ve only got one pot and I’ve just pruned it right back and moved it into the greenhouse.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Did you have a good watch of that bit with me in the front garden?
@avrilnelson3549
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate yes 🤗
Great advice there ! We are down south in Cornwall . Some I leave in the ground with a mulch over them and any special ones or new young ones I will dig up and store in a box with fresh compost in the shed .
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Best of both worlds 😍😍😍
Lost all my dahlias year ...so this year I'll lift and store
@eliandkate
8 ай бұрын
Good plan
This was so helpful and inspiring. I have never grown dahlias due to how cold we get. Thank you.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
It’s more the wet that’s an issue for us
Great video and full of good tips
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it Tony, I'm planning dahlia domination in my garden for next year :D
Up here in Aberdeen and thrilled to bits to find this video with great advice for this newbie to dahlias and in the same climate as you ! Big 👍. Thank you
@eliandkate
8 ай бұрын
Oh glad you found us quine, hunners of advice that’ll help you 😁
this is are first year we have had dahlias and you have help me out on the best way to look after then in the winter months 😀👍
@eliandkate
9 ай бұрын
Glad I could help! Can't wait for next year and the amazing displays of flowers!!!!
Oh my gosh... I was out in my garden today (Pennsylvania - Zone 6) wondering about storing my dahlias for the winter. I came inside and this video popped up. Someone was reading my mind!!! 😊
@laurahoar5449
8 ай бұрын
Same here, great and timely tips! (Utah - Zone 6/7 with winter bearing down on us).
@eliandkate
8 ай бұрын
Ha ha ha google knows you
I’m new to gardening and after watching ur video I’m definitely gonna store my dahlias over winter , thank you
@eliandkate
8 ай бұрын
Excellent Elaine… fingers crossed it goes well
This is comprehensive. Now that I've moved to a region that allows Dahlias to survive, I think I will try. It's wet here in winter also (marine climate). Thanks!
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Then it sounds like you and I are growing together…. We’ll get planted up in spring and wait for our glorious blooms We’re marine climate too
I've seen other KZreadr's Dahlia's and I've decided I have got to get some. I'll try and duck out and get some seeds and see if I can grow them that way... I will likely try storing them over winter (if I manage to grow them). Great tips (as always!) :D
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Seeds are the cheapest way to grow them but it’s more common here to buy tubers and grow from them. Just a wee bit more expensive
ive lifted a couple to store over Winter and left a couple in the garden as just easier where they were located so at least ill be able to compare the results next year.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Good idea to lift some Phoebe, let’s you see how things fair without risking you’re entire collection
Bought a Dahlia last year but it got too wet over winter. Will definitely be lifting the tubers planted this year 👍
@eliandkate
10 ай бұрын
I feel your pain
I’m in Southern California so my conditions are almost polar opposite from yours. I tried leaving my dahlias in the ground last year since our temps almost never get to freezing. However, we had an amazingly wet winter and production this year was poor. Consequently I’m digging mine up and storing them over this winter. Dahlia growing is such a learning curve
@eliandkate
8 ай бұрын
exactly :D
Great vid Eli,lifted most of mine last week,wrapped in old garden fleece then into sacks that breath,into shed,I will give them a check every so often because as someone has already stated they can get mouldy,it’s happened to me before.To wet for me too,just nearby in Midlothian 👍👍
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
yeah the first year I grew dahlias I didn't dry them properly and mine got mouldy... I could have cried
Great video, Kate. I was thinking of leaving mine in the ground again, but since I lost several real last year due to a very wet winter. Now I’m thinking of lifting them! By the way, Laura, of Garden Answer is in Oregon, in the U.S. I think she’s leaving hers in the ground this year. She has millions! 🤣🥰
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Yeah she’s got a tiny bit more space than me 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I've never stored dahlias before but I'm having a go this year Eli. I've dug them up & emptied pots out, I'm drying some in the garage and some are already packed in paper and boxes. I've put them on a shelf in the garage on the wall that's attached to the house, I read somewhere to get them off the ground if it's concrete as it can draw moisture out so I'm hoping they do okay!!! Will check on them monthly just incase. I've also done tuberous begonias too for the first time and the sunroom inside the house is full of wax begonias I've repotted to overwinter haha along with pepper plant and chilli plant and a few dozen pelargoniums - my husband thinks I've gone mad :) I'm in North Yorkshire and it gets pretty wet here so we'll see next year how we all get on 🤞good luck everyone x
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
wow you've gone for it!! :D Yeah I'll be checking on mine periodically too, that year I lost everything has made me so nervous about these types of things.
I have put mine away yesterday, too. Wrapped in paper, will stay in a Box in the greenhouse. As I harvested the last tomatoes last week there isn't much wintergrowing this year apart from a few salads.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
There seem to be a whole heap of folk kept getting tomatoes until this last week or so, this year has been so mild make sme dread what's coming when winter hits
@gudi361
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate Lets just hope for the best!
Hi I fill up a plastic trug with water and plunge the tubers in and out the water saves you getting soaked with the hose
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
ha ha ha yeah, this was the most unfortunate bunch ever, just could not get them clean. The hose was the last resort and it wasn't fun :D Did the job though
Hi Eli & Kate, I've grown Dahlias from seed for the first time, and they were lovely. Just dug mine up out of my raised beds and put them in pots of compost & put them in my polytunnel. I hadn't realised you can spilt the tubers. Will look forward to seeing your video on how to do that. Do you grow the cut flower variety? I have grown ones that are quite medium size and a mixture of colour too. First time growing them. Great video with lots of useful ways of how to over Winter Dahlias. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
@eliandkate
8 ай бұрын
Dahlias are lovely We grow lots of different types and sizes… gives us options for the garden 😋
Lifted mine a couple of weeks ago and storing then in the same way. First time in newspaper, used dry old compost before but this way is less 'messy'. I keep them in the potting shed too but have to put them in a cupboard because two years ago every one was completely eaten by mice, lost the lot!!
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
I was saying earlier today that mie are my biggest fear. Although we've never seen them, we are pretty sure some live under the shed...
I was going to leave mine in the ground, but you make an excellent point about how wet the ground can stay in Scotland over winter. I’ll lift half of mine as an insurance policy and take my chances with the other half. I really enjoyed my dahlias this year so fingers crossed they’ll be good again next year.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh a wee experiment… I do like a good test
@tracycrider7778
8 ай бұрын
Cover the ones left with tarp & mulch & they might be ok💜
Hi Eli and Kate, I'm very new to gardening, love watching your KZreads. Is there another way I can follow you, FB etc?
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Hey Sue Lovely to have you with us KZread is our main platform, we also have a website/blog Eli and Kate.com But we focus mostly on youtube
Mine are left in the ground Eli but I do have two newer ones that are in pots 😊
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
It’s so interesting to hear all the differences in what people are doing 😀😀😀
Hi we lifted ours about a month ago and have now stored them in compost for the winter. Great video, we are going to try and grow some more next year from seed, any advice? Thanks the Reddish Rascals.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
I actually find growing them from seed is pretty straight forward. I did start mine early to give them loads of time before I planted them out…..
Fab video! I live in London and it’s been crazy wet like the rest of the UK. My thoughts are to store them in newspaper overwinter in the shed. If they do show signs of wrinkles what would you do? Also, when it’s planting time next year will the tubers stored in newspaper have still developed eyes? x
@eliandkate
8 ай бұрын
Wrinkles to me would make me think they were drying out…. So I’d add a tiny bit of moisture but I’d be surprised to see that if they are in the shed. It’s temperature that makes the eyes begin to develop so when you take the tubers out of storage in spring, if the temperature has consistently hit 12c then you should start to see eyes develop
Yes but label mrs, label. I've just taken mine out and I haven't a clue which is which. Lol
@eliandkate
2 ай бұрын
😂😂😂 oh we’ve all been there
Does anyone else get about 5mins of blank screen at the end 🤔 or am I missing some video?
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
It’s not you it’s me…. Was an accident in the edit but a new version is processing now so hopefully that bit will be gone soon
@gabrielmaroto18
Жыл бұрын
I love it it’s part of the fun of amateur video I love
@xanitajobe5920
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate No worries 😂 just took me so long to realise 💕 love your content, can’t wait for the next video 🌟
What do you do with tubers that have split? Thanks
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Hey Sean, any that are split (as in damaged) I bin. I don't have enough plants to risk any issues spreading so I just don't chance it.
I am doing this tomorrow. However, I had a big problem with my Dahlias in my pots. They developed some kind of fungus. After that leaves started dropping and then there were triangular small white moths..UGH! I spent the majority of this summer. cutting back and continually spraying to get rid of the moths. I think I should powder them with some type of anti fungal before storing them? Weirdly all the other Dalias planted in the ground were beautiful and no problem at all. Suggestions?
@eliandkate
7 ай бұрын
Fungus and moths… nightmare The idea of doing this is that you wouldn’t try to store any that show signs of fungus or mould as that will cause problems in storage, so my preference would be to replace those plants. Would be worth a bit of investigation to find out what exactly it was / caused it so you can take precautions for next year
Please tell me where you got your leather pouch that holds both your Hori Hori and secateurs. I've been looking everywhere but can't find one as sturdy. Thanks
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
We got them from a local leather maker but if you search for double holster secateurs a whole heap of options come up
@pamelah6431
8 ай бұрын
AM Leonard makes a dual sheath!
Great video as always ... Please can I ask ( as Im a completely new Gardener ) how long did it take you to gain confidence in doing things like this ? Xxxx
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
To be 100% honest Caroline, I’ve always just did things and went with the attitude of If it doesn’t work then I’ll learn something. It’s how I’ve learned everything to do with the garden 😀😀😀😀
@carolinebown8686
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate yes .... Ive just got to try & if its a fail ... move on /try again ... My Greenhouse is arriving Thursday ... Im so excited 😘😘😘
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh soooo exciting…. Tell me all about it??
@carolinebown8686
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate I couldnt run to a Rhino 1 ( just yet ) being on a TA's pauper pay rate ) ... So I've gone for a Halls Cotswold Burford ... with toughened glass ... its got 2 roof vents ... it was on a Black Friday deal ... so Im happy xxxx
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh hurrah for a deal!!! What size have you gone with? I’d love a bigger greenhouse but Kate’s shed would have to be sacrificed and she’d kill me
Leaving dahlias in the ground. They didn’t perform well this year so don’t care if they don’t come back
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Awwww Charlie You’re a hard task master The Crowley school of gardening I see 😂😂😂
What if I don't have an area in my home that is cool enough to store them? Our basement is too warm, and our garage is too cold.
@eliandkate
9 ай бұрын
You can only do your best. You could try wrapping your dahlia packages in an old blanket or similar to protect them from freezing and frost.
I live in North East England not far from you. I stored my dahlias like this one year (in newspaper, in the shed) and lost the lot. They all went mouldy. Be careful.
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Oh no, that sucks. Did it put you off or did you grow again?
@1justpara
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate Oh I grow again, my garden always has dahlias in it. Most of the time now I just leave them in the ground and if they come up then they come up and if not clag some more in there, lol. As my beloved always says "You can never have too many dahlia delights".
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
I 100% agree with your beloved!!!!!
I’ve used an old toothbrush to clean between the tubers…is easier
Just need to ask can i lift them now when the leaves are still green? Im in uk .. thanks
@eliandkate
7 ай бұрын
If they are showing signs of damage from frost then it’s time to lift them.
@gilldoyle3295
7 ай бұрын
@@eliandkate thank you we've not had a frost yet I'll wait till we've had one 🤔😂💖
@eliandkate
7 ай бұрын
@gilldoyle3295 I’m sending you to detention Gill 🤪🤣😂🤣 You watched the video and I said you were lifting them after they’d been blackened by frost. Naughty step! 😍😍😍😍
@gilldoyle3295
7 ай бұрын
@@eliandkate ha I did hear that but wondered if I could lift them before the frost 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Once you've wrapped them and put them in the box. Do you store them in the greenhouse or somewhere dark?
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Ha ha ha guess you’re still watching the video Mags 😂 I explain once I’m talking about storage 😀
@mags9536
Жыл бұрын
😂 missed that bit somehow. Just watched it again. Thanks Eli for great info
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
😂😂😂 oh I do that. Attention span of a gnat me 😂😂😂
@mags9536
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate 😂 apparently me too 😂😂
Don’t forget labeling
Is 55 F too warm to store tubers?
@eliandkate
Жыл бұрын
Below 38 is ideal
@lesliescully3544
Жыл бұрын
@@eliandkate Thank you.
Lol 😆