If you've ever tried to root green cuttings, then you probably know that ...
Many try to preserve the ripe crop of tubers until spring. In order not to face difficulties and avoid standard mistakes, it is important to know how to properly store dahlias in the winter. We offer time-tested methods of storing the root tubers of this flower.
When and how to properly dig up dahlias for storage
In many forums about novice summer residents often ask various questions about the rules for storing dahlia tubers. Here is one quote: "I bought dahlias in February, how to store them?" To get flowering bushes as early as possible, they begin to practice early - in February-March. And it is customary to deal with digging and storing tubers in regions with rather severe and unpredictable winters.
It is important not to delay this procedure, otherwise low temperatures can destroy leaves and shoots. As a result, rotten shoots will spread to the system.
Too early digging is also contraindicated: you risk getting less next season, and the tubers will be stored worse. While the leaves are still green, the natural process of feeding the roots is going on, and the buds are preparing for the next flowering. 
Before you dig up and store dahlias for the winter, you need to cut the stems. avoids accidental damage to the kidneys or roots.
To avoid damaging the root collar, leave hemp above the ground about 20 cm - that's quite enough. In order not to rip off the neck of the flower and render it unusable, do not place the shovel too close to the stems, and also do not try to pull the bush by the stems.
To safely remove the tubers from the ground, dig in the bush with a shovel from all sides at a distance of about 30 cm, rake off the soil and carefully remove the tubers.Further high-quality preparation of the roots for storage is considered the key to success. 
There are many known options for how to store dahlia tubers at home, but whichever method you choose, there are a number of mandatory preparatory operations:
- Flushing. Shake the dug out bush from the ground. Then rinse the tubers from the residual soil with plenty of water.
- Shortening. The excess shoots from the tubers should be cut off with sharp scissors. The tubers are shortened by about 15 cm.
- Division. We start dividing the rhizomes. Cut the stems almost to the base of the root tubers. Each root cut should have a kidney. If the roots are very hard and the buds are underdeveloped, you can leave them intact.
- Disinfection. By immersing the tubers in a potassium permanganate solution for 30 minutes, you will prevent rotting and the possible development of fungal diseases. The roots can also be treated with a fungicide. Check each piece for damage and signs. Any dark or rusty spots must be removed. White bloom can often be found on tubers - this is the initial phase of fungal infection. If nothing is done, then such a root will become the cause of infection of all planting material, you will not be able to save the harvest until spring.
- Drying. After washing, be sure to let the tubers dry in the fresh air. And before storing dahlias after digging, it is advisable to leave the tubers for 10 days in a cool room. This is done to heal shallow root wounds.
Did you know? The ancient Aztecs used dahlia root tubers for food purposes. The fact is that wild dahlias have edible rhizomes, they contain inulin.- a substance resembling starch.
How to store dahlias in winter, storage at home
How and where to store dahlias in winter is a particularly relevant issue for urban gardeners. That is why we decided to collect the most relevant options for storing root tubers, which allow you to do this even in an apartment.
Not everyone has the ability to store tubers in the basement or in a special storage facility. 
Therefore, for keeping in a city apartment, the roots are usually placed in boxes, which are then transferred to the coldest place (for example, next to a balcony door or in a vestibule).
Keeping in boxes is one of the most acceptable ways how to keep dahlias at home. The roots are neatly placed in a box on a layer of peat, and they are also covered with peat on top. Peat can be replaced with sand or sawdust (preferably conifers).
Important! If you have multiple varieties of dahlias in your garden, it is recommended that you label each variety. This will greatly facilitate planting work in the next season.
According to numerous reviews, the tubers are excellently preserved. This method is also convenient in that it allows you to check the condition of the roots in winter. 
However, this method also has disadvantages - a lot of sand is required... In addition, the flowers themselves begin to sprout and suction roots much earlier than the required time.
The main danger when storing root tubers is excessive moisture. Moistening the used sand is a common mistake when storing dahlia roots in the sand.
It may seem that the sand is completely dry, and the roots are drying up. However, the roots either rot from moisture or germinate ahead of time. It is better to dry them out, since overdried roots can still be restored, but decayed ones are no longer there.Waxing or dipping tubers in molten paraffin is time consuming, but one of the favorite methods of skilled gardeners. 
Root tubers treated with paraffin are much better stored. Paraffin does not allow moisture to disappear, the roots do not dry out.
In addition, in the process of processing with paraffin from exposure to high temperatures, all pathogens that were on the roots die.
After hardening, the paraffin forms a protective layer, due to which the negative impact of external factors is absolutely not terrible for the dealers.
When choosing a waxing method for storage, it is important to remember that the delenki in this case awaken much later. This method is only suitable for early plant varieties. So, let's analyze how to keep dahlia tubers in paraffin. Dahlia tubers are waxed as follows:- Paraffin or candles are ground, put in a pot of water. Next, this pan is transferred to a larger container and placed in a water bath.
- Paraffin is melted over low heat. The thickness of the melted material should be 2-3 cm.
- In order for the root tubers to fit into the pan, they may have to be divided. The washed and dried roots are tied by a thread, dipped in hot paraffin and immediately taken out. In air, paraffin hardens immediately.
Next, we will discuss how to keep dahlia tubers in vermiculite until spring. Vermiculite perfectly retains moisture, which means that you don't have to worry about drying out the tubers. 
On the other hand, it is this factor that can cause early germination of tubers even with a slight increase in temperature at the place of keeping. It is recommended to choose not ordinary garden vermiculite, but coarse-grained.
The bottom of the container chosen for storing root tubers is covered with vermiculite, then a layer of roots is laid.
Thus, one by one, the entire container is filled. Then the workpiece must be covered with plastic wrap and transferred to a cool room (3-6 ° C).Storage in sawdust
Storing dahlias after digging in sawdust is a fairly simple, affordable and reliable option. The only condition for the successful storage of tubers is large sawdust, even better shavings. Choosing small sawdust, there is a risk that they will draw out all the moisture. 
Sometimes the roots with sawdust are canned in bags. This is an unacceptable mistake, since the roots of the flower in polyethylene rot due to the condensation formed. Root tubers die from high humidity.
Autumn is coming. We have already admired the lush flowering of dahlias, it's time to think about their storage. On the Dahlia World website, we found a wonderful article in which the entire procedure is described in detail: from digging to storing tubers in various conditions.
Dahlia digging
Light frosts damage only the blossoming flowers and, if warm weather returns, flowering will resume. Strong frost destroys most of the leaves. The fleshy stalk of the dahlia begins to die off, can rot and transmit rot to the tubers. So do not delay the cleaning of the dahlia for a long time. In principle, you can dig them out without waiting for severe frosts. This will not greatly affect the quality of storage. If you say goodbye to your summer cottage early, do not go specially for dahlias.
Dahlias, unlike, for example, gladioli, can be dug even in the rain. I recommend taking this into account: rainy autumn is not uncommon.
Before digging up dahlias, consider how many of each variety you want to store. If you grow dahlias for yourself, it is enough to prepare one or two bushes of each variety for storage. Provided, of course, that you will divide them (and this is very desirable).
So what's the point of bothering with digging and storing all the bushes? The less effort, the easier it is to live. Well, those bushes that you left in the ground will completely rot by spring. By the way, very good fertilization is obtained.
Here is such a "sideration". And you should not be afraid of mythical diseases and soil fatigue. Next year, plant not dahlias on this place, but plant something else. Crop rotation is a useful thing.
Preparing root tubers for storage
Before digging the trunks of the dahlia, it is advisable to cut off or gently break off. Personally, I break them off, leaving stumps of about 30 cm. When digging up uncut bushes, there are many chances to damage the root collar. Plus, it's totally inconvenient. To break, hold the stem firmly with one hand below the internode. The second sharply breaks off the upper part. You can, of course, cut off with pruning shears. But it's much faster this way.
We shortened the stems. Now carefully dig in the bush. A shovel is best suited for this purpose. It cuts the ground well, unlike the pitchfork. Place all rhizomes separately, according to varieties. Having dried a little, they will become more elastic, less fragile.
Digging technology
We stick the shovel strictly vertically, stepping back 20 centimeters from the base of the bush. We cut out a lump of earth from three sides. If at the same time we cut some of the tubers, it's okay, anyway, then shorten them anyway.
We take out the dahlia bush with a shovel, holding it by the cut of the stem. Be careful: breaking this stem will damage the root collar. And this is very undesirable (although not tragic). After digging up the bush, shake the earth off it. It is not worth applying too much effort. What does not shake off is better then wash off with water.
If dahlias were grown in one trunk, the earth crumbles itself. And if in two or three barrels, it is kept in a continuous lump and is practically not removed. We are talking, of course, about clay soil. With sandy, everything is much easier.
Having thus dug a certain number of bushes, we thoroughly rinse them. We start, of course, with those that were dug up first. When washing, we cut off (with pruning shears or good scissors) everything that interferes. First of all, these are all nodules - processes from the main tubers. The main tubers are tubers that are attached to the root collar. They usually have quite noticeable renewal buds.
And, finally, we cut shortly the stems of the dahlia, leaving 1-2 cm stumps. During storage, rotting can begin, primarily from the stems. Therefore, leaving them long is very, very undesirable.
We dry the washed bushes, put them in mesh bags for onions and put them where they will not freeze. That is, to the veranda, to the house, to the dry underground, and so on. If there is no threat of night frost, you can leave it in the garden for a couple of days.
At this stage, you can divide the dahlias and further store the divisions (if there are not many bushes). Or remove the rhizomes for preliminary storage.
Dahlia storage
Storage is highly dependent on conditions, which are different for everyone. So choose the one that suits you. Personally, I carry out the initial storage of dahlias like this. I fold the nets with tubers in a dry subfield (temperature: 5-10 ° C). They lie there for a month or two. When I notice that the nodules have dried out very well (and some have wrinkled a little), I proceed to their primary division.
If you live in an apartment, you can take the nets with tubers to the storage (if it is dry). Or you can keep them in the apartment. In this case, be careful not to dry out.
When the rhizomes are dry enough, divide them into smaller pieces.
Dahlia dividing instructions
Cut a bush with a bunch of tubers into several pieces. To do this, use a sharp knife to split the stump from the stem into two parts. Try to leave the buds on both halves of the hemp. If, at the same time, it did not break off from the tubers, then you completed the most difficult part perfectly. Well, if it does break off, it's not a loss. There are always dormant buds at the base of ripe tubers.
Stretch the rhizome to the sides and you will have two smaller bushes. Then cut the tree stump again into quarters. So from one bush it turned out four. And if the bush was large and there are a lot of "potatoes" in it: you can divide it into eight parts.
Look carefully at the resulting cuttings. At the top of each tuber (if it ripens well) you may notice small buds.
Divide the strips into bags. For this, "rustling T-shirts" are well suited. Keep the bags open for several days to dry the slices! Then tie the bags, leaving a tiny slot for ventilation.
Storing dahlias in a package
Find the coolest place in your apartment and put your bags there. If this is not the case, make sure the dahlias are exposed to ambient light (but not direct sunlight).
With sufficient light (and lack of moisture), short shoots form on the tubers. They can stay that way for a very long time, several months.
The main thing is to check the dahlias often. If one tuber in the bag rots, others will get a lot of moisture and begin to sprout. Remove the decayed tuber, and rinse the rest, dry and put in another bag.
If you have a cellar, half of the tubers, for safety net, can be stored in it. It is important that the temperature does not drop below zero. Tie the bags tightly to keep out moisture and protect from mice. For example, hang it higher.
Even if the cellar is cold and damp, the tubers are stored well. But in early spring, dahlias end their dormant period and they can rot. To avoid this, remove the tubers early, in early March. Dry them, if necessary, and store them already in the apartment.
Near equatorial America is home to many species of dahlia. Like any southerners, these flowers do not tolerate cold weather. The "Mexican" Dahlia variabilis, which produced many varieties of cultivated dahlias, is no exception. For this reason, northern lovers of these beautiful flowers have to dig up dahlia tubers every year, which must be stored at freezing temperatures. It is very important for those wishing to plant these flowers in the vastness of Russia to know exactly when to dig dahlias in the fall.
How to properly dig dahlia tubers
Dahlias begin to form tubers in the spring, but the roots are gaining full strength only in the fall. For collectors of dahlias with thousands of copies, autumn is a very difficult time. Dahlias do not tolerate freezing temperatures or dampness at all. The task of such a collector is to dig up the tubers as late as possible, but be in time before prolonged rains or frosts.
It is easier for owners of a small flower bed. Most often it gets cold at first slightly. Only terrestrial parts of plants are damaged. After the onset of such cold snaps, it is better to start preparing for digging out the tubers.
Training
Before digging out the tubers, it is necessary to critically walk through the existing plants and mercilessly destroy all poorly blooming, non-varietal, weak and diseased flowers along with the roots.
Attention! If flowers with suspected viral diseases are found, they are dug up together with the soil and burned.
Digging dahlia tubers for the winter is carried out in parallel with division. There is an opinion that if you cut the stems of the dahlia a few days before digging out the tubers, then the buds on the roots will have time to bite, they will be better visible and it will be easier to divide the tubers.
With this method, there is a possibility that water will get on the cut and the stem will begin to rot. To minimize this chance, cover the cut stems with aluminum foil. It will not be possible to completely avoid the ingress of moisture, since the stems of the dahlia become watery after frost.
The second method is to cut the stems just before digging up to minimize the risk of viral infection.
Digging
After the first rough sorting of plants, we start digging out the tubers.
Attention! Tuber necks are very fragile and require special care. Do not pull the stems when digging, only a shovel or pitchfork.
They are particularly fragile immediately after emerging from the ground. You can leave half-dug tubers for a couple of hours. They will dry out and become less brittle.
The bush is dug in around the perimeter at a distance of about thirty centimeters from the stem to cut the long roots, but preserve the tubers. Then they pry a lump of earth together with tubers with a shovel and turn it out entirely. The bulk of the earth is removed and the tubers are left to dry out a little. After drying, I rinse them from the ground with a hose.
Attention! The soil contains pathogens, so the complete removal of the land is mandatory.
After removing the soil and drying the tubers from external moisture, you can start dividing.
Dividing tubers
In spring tubers can be divided, but storage and disinfection of large root bundles is much more difficult than small ones. Therefore, most flower growers prefer to divide dahlias in the fall immediately after digging.
The remnants of the stems from the cuttings are cut as close to the tuber as possible. All roots are also removed. The remains of the stem and roots can provoke decay. Be sure to make sure that each delenka has a neck with buds from which new flowers will grow.
Each group of roots is divided with a sterile instrument. Otherwise, you can bring the virus into all tubers if a sick person is found among the dug roots. For sterilization, the knife blade is heated over a fire.
Attention! Keep the sterilized blade cool before using it. With multiple knives, time can be saved.
How to prepare tubers for storage
In the process of dividing, it is necessary to check the tubers for traces of disease. If brown spots are present anywhere on the cut, they must be cut out. A discolored tuber neck indicates the onset of spoilage. This tuber must be thrown away, it will not last until spring. Holes left by insects are not dangerous if the bottom is the same color as the tuber.
After separation, the tubers are thoroughly washed again, removing soil residues. The tips of the washed tubers are cut off to check for rot. If an infection is detected, the tuber is cut to a clean, bright place. Delenka can be laid for storage if at least 1/3 of the tuber remains. Otherwise, they throw it out.
All sections must be treated with sulfur or the tubers must be immersed in a fungicide solution for fifteen minutes. If you have several varieties, dip each variety in a separate container so as not to be confused. After disinfection, the tubers are dried for one and a half days. 
The dahlias are ready for storage. To guarantee, you can keep the tubers in the air for another week. All cuts and breaks will be covered with a hard crust, which will protect the tubers from excessive moisture loss during storage.
What tubers to leave for planting
Small, well-ripened tubers are laid for storage. The "mother" tuber is usually not planted for the second year, since it forms few roots and the sprouts are weak. You can use it to get cuttings and then discard it. Young large tubers are also undesirable. Their properties are similar to the "mother". They are used to get cuttings, or they are "improved" by cutting them heavily and drying them before planting.
Tuber storage options
There are many ways to preserve tubers. Some of them require a cellar, for others a refrigerator is enough. General principle: tubers should be stored at a temperature of one to seven degrees Celsius and an air humidity of 80-100%.
Storage in a cellar in vermiculite * ... Delenki are placed in boxes or plastic bags and covered with large vermiculite. Negative: Vermiculite retains water. When the outside temperature rises, it provokes the germination of tubers. The dust of this mineral is harmful to human lungs.
Important! The volume of vermiculite refers to the volume of the roots as 1: 1.
In sand ... The tubers are stacked in containers, sprinkled with sand. Delenki are preserved well, but they begin to germinate earlier than in vermiculite.
In perlite ** ... Does not absorb moisture from tubers, but dust is also harmful to the lungs.
In the moss ... Not a very good idea. Dry moss is very hygroscopic and draws water out of the tubers strongly. Wet can provoke rotting of the planting material.
In sawdust ... With this method, it is important to use small shavings, not real sawdust. The sawdust draws on moisture too much.
Whether it is necessary to create conditions for gas exchange or to pack the tubers hermetically is determined by the external environment. In wet winters, it is better to give the chance to the dealers to "breathe".
Remember! If the tubers are stored in the cellar, do not place them on top of the potatoes. She draws out water.
In the fridge. Gardeners living in apartment buildings can store tubers in the refrigerator in the vegetable section. The tubers are placed in a bag, covered with sawdust and holes are punctured for air exchange. Dahlias are checked twice a month.
The best method for storing tubers
Paraffin
One of the best options for preserving dahlia tubers is to cover them with a layer of paraffin. This method is especially good for thin tubers that easily lose moisture. The method is not widely used due to its high labor intensity and cost.
Paraffin is heated in a water bath to a liquid state. You cannot heat it on a gas stove, it is highly flammable. It is necessary to warm up on an electric stove with a closed spiral.
For a moment, a tuber is dipped into liquid paraffin, wait until the paraffin layer on the tuber has cooled, turn it over and dip the tuber with the other end.
Attention! Do not overexpose tubers in hot paraffin. Cooked. The paraffin film prevents moisture evaporation.
The tubers are placed in a polyethylene bag, covered with sawdust, tied and stored in the coolest place in the apartment. It is optimal to paraffin varieties that germinate in December, since after such treatment, the delenki wake up later.
Before planting the tubers, you need to rub a little so that the film cracks. Don't try to take it all off. Tubers can be damaged.
Egg white
Quite an original and little-known method that can fail at high humidity.
Beat the egg white and coat the tubers with it twice. The dried film works in a similar way to the wax film. These tubers can be stored in a regular cardboard box in a cool, dry place. For example, near a pipe with cold water.
Important! Dahlia tubers must be examined several times during the winter, cutting out decaying areas and treating the sections with fungicides.
Is it necessary to dig dahlias and gladioli for the winter
Sooner or later, such a question necessarily begins to torment the amateur gardener. These flowers are often planted in the same garden, the conditions for preserving their bulbs and tubers are the same, but you have to dig up and prepare for storage twice as much. I would like to reduce the amount of work.
Here we can say that dahlias are always dug up. There are no regions in Russia where winter frosts are completely absent. Gladioli also die at minus one degree. Therefore, gardeners in the suburbs and in the Leningrad regionexperimentally established: it is necessary to dig out gladioli between harvesting potatoes, but before harvesting cabbage, from about mid-September. The same can be said for dahlias.
In the northwest of Russiathe specificity of growing these two types of flowers is determined by climatic conditions. Preference is given to early and medium varieties. It is better to grow already acclimatized flowers without risking southern varieties.
The timing of excavation is strictly defined. Early and mid-early varieties are dug out 35 days after cutting the peduncles, medium ones after 45 days. Flowers should be dug up by October 5th.
In Siberiavery short growing season. It is necessary to choose early and medium varieties for growing. Only fully ripe tubers and bulbs are harvested. In varieties suitable for Siberia, the maturation of the underground parts ends one month after flowering. The first to be harvested are varieties with dark flowers, the last to be grown from annual cuttings.
Having figured out when to dig dahlias and how to store them in winter, you can buy tubers at a relatively low price in the fall and plant them on your site in the spring to enjoy the beauty of these flowers.
* Vermiculite is a product of secondary alteration of hydromicas. Expanded vermiculite is obtained by roasting vermiculite and is used in agricultural technology as one of the constituents of the substrate. And also for storing planting material during the winter.
** Perlite is a volcanic rock. Expanded perlite is used in crop production: a product of heat treatment and grinding of this mineral.
An important question arises for budding dahlias growers when to dig up these beautiful flowers. There is no doubt that this large multi-layered and amazingly beautiful flower is to the liking of many. But in order to enjoy its beauty as long as possible, dahlias need to be dug up for the winter.
Digging dahlias is a very responsible matter, because it depends on this, as well as on compliance with the rules for storing dug tubers in winter, whether they will bloom next year.
Digging dahlia tubers in autumn
Before digging up the roots of a flower, you need to read the recommendations of specialists.
Before digging dahlia tubers for the winter, there are several important points to consider:
- the end of the flowering period;
- plant variety;
- the onset of the first frost.
Obviously, you can dig up the tubers only after the plant has completely bloomed and all the flower stalks have dropped.
An important condition for observing the correct organization of the harvesting of dahlias and their subsequent storage throughout the winter is to determine the correct harvesting period for tubers. Before harvesting tubers, it is necessary to stop feeding the plant with various fertilizers. The end of the growing season is not necessary for fertilizing flowers, especially if they are dug up for the winter.
Tubers of a wide variety of these beautiful flowers begin to form in early spring. But their final ripening occurs only at the end of the summer flowering season. It follows that a longer stay of plant tubers in the soil will have a positive effect on the process of their formation, and therefore on the quality of storage of dahlia roots in winter.
In most of the territory of our country, at the end of the summer period, slight slight frosts occur. Frosts, although small, only a couple of degrees below zero, but even such an insignificant decrease in temperature indicators can destroy the flowers and leaves of the plant.
Those areas of dahlias that have suffered from the cold must be cut off immediately, so that the plant has the opportunity in the future to please its owners with wonderful flowering. Tubers at this time will direct all their forces towards increased ripening and a kind of preparation for winter storage. This process will continue until severe frosts.
The dahlia digging procedure can be carried out immediately after the first hard frost occurs.
Dahlias: when and how to dig (video)
Digging dahlias for the winter
Just before harvesting dahlias for the winter and preparing for their germination, the florist needs to do some preparatory work.
The first step is to pay attention to sick, weakened over the summer and not flowering or poorly flowering plants. First of all, they need to be isolated from other plants. To do this, you need to dig the infected plant directly with a clod of earth adjacent to the roots and burn it. It will no longer be possible to cure such a plant.
It is believed that shortly before digging out the roots of dahlias, all leaves and stems should be cut off from plants. But it is important to do it carefully and correctly. Pruning too short can cause flower tubers to rot. This can happen due to the fact that water will flow into the stem. If you decide to dig up dahlias according to this method, then you need to cover each individual flower stem with ordinary food foil.
So, the stem should not be cut too short, otherwise the tubers will not survive in winter. The length of the stem above the soil surface should not be shorter than 10 cm. This, by the way, will facilitate further work with tubers. It is important at this time not to forget to make a note about the type of flower. You can hang a tag with the name of the dahlia species on the cut stems.
It is important to dig out dahlias with extreme care so as not to damage them with a shovel. And the necks of the tubers are fragile. This becomes noticeable even in the process of extracting them from the soil.
When to get dahlias out of the ground? It is better to do this in the first half of the day, since the dug tubers need to be dried before harvesting for storage and subsequent germination. This procedure will slightly strengthen the roots of the flowers.
In order to remove the dahlia root from the ground without unnecessary damage, it is first dug around it. This will cut the long roots and keep the tubers intact. Gently pulling the tubers out of the soil, you need to turn them down with the stems and dry them for a while under the sun. The roots are then rinsed under running water to avoid contamination and dried again. Only now the prepared tubers of plants can be removed for storage and further germination.
How to store dahlias: should they be cleaned
Dahlias in winter must be kept properly. It is recommended to put the roots in a cloth bag and put them on the lower shelf of the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
This method will allow the process of peel corking to begin, this will subsequently allow moisture to remain in the tubers during the winter.
After that, you can remove the tubers in a dark, cool place, for example, in a basement or cellar, for storage and further germination.
How to save dahlias in winter (video)
Gardeners are often worried about whether it is necessary to dig out dahlias for the winter at all. Most experienced specialists believe that plants will not survive the winter in the ground, even if they are significantly warmed.
Dahlia digging tool - just a shovel! The best time to dig dahlias is the first decade of October, but earlier in the northern regions. Until that time, the plants are preserved with all their might. The stems are cut at a distance of 10 cm from the ground and a bayonet is placed at a distance of 20 cm, labels are tied for the convenience of the future. They retreat from the remainder of the stem by 15-20 cm and dig in the tuber, take it out, carefully throwing off the earth with your hand (do not lift or shake off the stump).
Cut the roots of dahlias - this is for the future of the plant. After digging, dahlias are washed to the state of clean tubers, it is better to do this from a hose. For 5-6 days, they are placed in a greenhouse, veranda or basement (control the temperature so that the tubers do not freeze, in which case use spunbond). The skin of the tubers should become harsh so that drying takes place slowly.
Winter storage of dahlias
Unfortunately, it is worth noting the fact that dahlias are extremely poorly stored. This is especially true for the Cherio and Arlesia varieties. Dahlias can be stored in several ways: undivided root and in paraffin.
Keeping a dahlia with an undivided root
After the dahlia root corks it is placed in parchment and vermiculite is added or, in extreme cases, dry sphagnum peat, tied with a rope and sent to storage in a cool dry place, a dry basement, where the air temperature will be 4-7 ° C (at a higher temperature, tubers will begin to dry out and it will be impossible to use them for planting) and air humidity 60-70%. Ventilate the room regularly to prevent fungal infections. At the end of February, the tubers are transferred for germination and propagation in a warm, bright place. Losses of tubers with this storage method will be minimal.
Storage of dahlia in paraffin
This will require a lot of paraffin and a double-bottomed pan to keep the material from overheating. The paraffin is melted, but not on the gas stove (paraffin is a flammable substance), the spiral on the stove must be closed. When the roots of plants are corked, they are transferred for a day to a room with a temperature of 15 ° C, divided into four parts or so that there is a kidney on each section, the sections are dried and dipped in paraffin (70-80 ° C), turned over and another part of the root is sent ... Fold the paraffin roots into a cardboard box and place in a cool place. If the temperature is too high for them, the roots will grow, which will weaken the plant.
Storage according to the method of A.A. Grushetskiy.
Dug root tubers, gently shake off the ground and put in a greenhouse. Within 5-6 days, dry by airing, cut off the uterine tubers and small roots, shorten the stems to 2-3 cm, sprinkle the slices with fluffy lime. For a week before storage, keep the root tubers at a temperature of 20-25 ° C to cork the skin. Arrange in boxes, the bottom of which should be covered with thick paper and covered with earth with a layer of 3 cm, cover the tubers with a layer of earth and close the boxes with paper. Store tubers at 12-20 ° C.
Dahlia storage according to the methods of amateur flower growers
- Dig out root tubers and place in water for 3-12 hours. To clear from the ground and cut off small roots. Immerse the root tubers of the dahlia for 1-2 hours in a container with a dark purple solution of potassium permanganate until the color of the tubers changes to dark golden or light brown. Without drying, send to the basement, and after 2-3 days cover with wet sand.
- Dig up the dahlia root tubers, dry, peel off the ground, remove small roots and damaged roots, shorten the stem to 8-10 cm. Dry the boxes, cover the bottom with a double newspaper and lay the prepared root tubers. Top up with calcined river sand, cover with thick paper and put in two rows (on top of each other). At least once a month, check the boxes for mold, and if it appears, wipe it off with a dry cloth. Basement temperature should be 2-6 ° С and air humidity 70%.
- Root tubers from cuttings are extremely poorly stored by themselves. But you can try: store it with a clod of earth, after drying it out during digging, but without shaking off the earth. If the tuber is bare, put it in a box and cover it with sand or dry peat. Place in a well-ventilated basement. In June cuttings, root tubers are stored much better. In July cuttings, root tubers should be kept with stems 10-20 cm long, wrapped in thick paper, put in boxes and sprinkled with peat. It happens that when grafting dahlia tubers are not formed, and instead of roots, a large number of small roots are obtained. The percentage of their safety is low: do not shake off the earth, remove the leaves, shorten the stems 15-25 cm. Put each cutting on paper with peat and wrap it, put it in boxes and cover it with peat.
This is possible if drying took place at low temperatures and high humidity. Arrange the root tubers in boxes and put in a cool place (which can only be found in the apartment). Regularly revise the tubers; when drying, spraying with water is required.
The video shows another interesting and easy way to store dahlias.
Reasons for the loss of dahlia root tubers during storage
In general, the room where the dahlia root tubers will be stored in winter would be good to fumigate with sulfur 50 g per 1m3, while there should be no drafts, all cracks need to be plugged and whitewashed with fresh lime. Put the tubers of plants on the sand or wood shelves. Inspect regularly for damage and take appropriate measures. Root damage can be provoked: dense planting, cultivation in lowlands, uncooked root collars during the frost period, oversaturation with nitrogen fertilizers, excellent flowering (tubers become loose), tubers may not ripen due to weather conditions (very hot, rainy, digging was in frost or after rain, when the tubers break off easily from their weight).
