The first hard frost can range from August to October. If you live in a climate where the ground doesn’t freeze, you don’t need to dig up the dahlia bulbs at all.
To sterilize your garden shears, dip them in a bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. It’s important to wait until the foliage dies since the tubers will keep developing until this happens. You’ll have more success storing and planting mature dahlia tubers.
Use wiggling motions to break up the soil. This can make it easier to locate the dahlia tubers without accidentally cutting into them. Avoid pulling the clump of dahlias out of the ground by the stem or you could damage the tubers.
Pop on a pair of gloves if you don’t like to get your hands dirty. Set aside the tuber while you finish brushing the soil from the remaining bulbs.
If you’re rinsing a lot of dahlia bulbs, set a screen of hardware cloth or mesh on top of a big empty garbage can. Place the tubers on the hardware cloth and hose them down. The water and soil collect in the garbage can, so you can simply pour them back into your garden when you’re done. If you don’t have a big garbage can, fill a small tub or basin with water in order to wash the bulbs.
While you can cure the dahlia bulbs in the garage, don’t place them directly on the garage floor because it can pull too much moisture out of the bulbs. Don’t wait more than 3 days to pack your dahlias because they could dry out too much and shrivel up.
If you live in a very wet or humid climate and are worried that the dahlia bulbs could rot while in storage, dust the tubers with a plant fungicide powder before you pack them. [8] X Research source If you notice there are several tubers growing together, you can use sterilized garden shears to cut the tubers apart.
A cardboard box: This option is inexpensive and easy to find. A wooden box with ventilation holes: Your wooden box can be used to store dahlias for several seasons. A plastic bag: A plastic bag is an inexpensive option and it doesn’t take up much space. A styrofoam container: This option is lightweight and stackable, too. Note: Storing dahlias in the refrigerator isn’t a valid option. This can remove too much moisture and cause the bulbs to shrivel.
You can also use dry compost, sand, vermiculite, or coir—shredded coconut husk fiber. Shop for these at your local hardware store, garden center, or online. If you’d like to label the individual dahlia tubers, write the variety on each tuber with a permanent market before you pack it in the container.
If you’re not sure what variety of dahlia you’re storing, write any identifying characteristics you can think of. For instance, write, “4 clumps of red dahlias—from the side yard. "
If you live in a temperate climate, you could keep the container of dahlia bulbs outside as long as they have shelter and air circulation.
If the packing material feels very moist (like water is condensing and getting trapped), keep the lid off of the container or leave the bag completely open, so the material dries out a little. Wait until the weather warms up in the spring before you grow your dahlia bulbs.
