Dahlia TubersAfter a week or so of pretty cold nights and one or two hard freezes, I finally dug out the Dinner Plate Dahlias from their pots. A couple of them were nearly root bound, but you wouldn't know it from all the blooming they did. Now I have to work on drying them out a bit, then storing them for the winter. I am very excited for next gardening season since I now have an area to plant them...finally got the future garden tilled and weeded! Below are the instructions from Dutch Garden's site where I purchased the Dahlias from on how to winter them in our zone. We'll see how many survive my care through the winter.
"Summer & Fall Care
Fertilize dahlias monthly with a water-soluble, organic fertilizer that's formulated for flowers. Avoid using a high-nitrogen fertilizer, or you'll get lots of green growth with little flowering. Mulch with straw or shredded bark to keep weeds to a minimum and retain moisture. Water regularly, especially during dry periods. Cut blossoms for indoor flower arrangements and remove old blossoms to encourage more branching and flower production.
In fall, after the first frost has blackened the foliage, cut off all but 2 to 4 inches of top growth, and carefully dig tubers without damaging them. Allow tubers to dry for a few days in a frost-free location, out of direct sunlight. Once dried, remove any excess soil, leaving 1 to 2 inches of stem. Store each clump of tubers upside down in a ventilated box or basket. Fill the box with slightly moistened sand, peat moss or vermiculite and place it in a cool, dry location with temperatures that remain between 45 and 55 degrees F. Check tubers periodically through winter for rotting and drying out. If the tubers appear shriveled, mist them lightly with water. If any start to rot, trim the rotted portion of the clump so it won't spread. The tubers are fragile, so be careful when handling them."
