How to keep dahlias at home in winter until spring

Dahlias are a beautiful perennial plant that is so beloved by gardeners all over Russia. However, the climatic conditions of many regions do not allow leaving tubers in the open field for the next year. They are dug up and create conditions for wintering, but not every experienced summer resident manages to ensure the safety of the entire collection. Therefore, the question of how to store dahlias in winter is very relevant, especially among beginners.

When to harvest dahlias for the winter

Dahlias do not need much care while in the ground, however, it will take a little work to preserve the tubers until next year. So, in the southern regions of Russia, to preserve the plant, it is recommended to mulch with sawdust or dry leaves. However, in the northern regions in the fall, it is definitely recommended to dig up the tubers and store them until spring.

In outskirts of Moscow

Winter comes to Moscow and the Moscow region a little later, and almost always at different times. It is recommended to harvest dahlias based on weather conditions. Usually, the optimal time is from mid-October to mid-November. If frosts are expected in the next 2-3 days, and the dacha needs to be left now, it is recommended to dig up the dahlias a little earlier and process them properly.

In the Leningrad region

Gardeners of the Leningrad Region, due to special weather conditions, have to be especially careful. After all, a distinctive feature of the region is constant precipitation, and it is recommended to remove dahlias in dry weather. The best time for harvesting tubers is the first decade of October.

In the Urals

Dahlia are harvested at the beginning of October, after the frost has already destroyed the stems of the plants, but the ground has not yet frozen.

Important! It is recommended to dig up dahlias in the first days after the tops are frozen. If you stretch it for at least a week, the trunk will start to rot. The rot is transferred to the tubers, and the entire collection dies.

Also, if a warm period comes after a cold, there is a risk of kidney swelling, which is extremely inappropriate before winter.

In Siberia

In Siberia, frosts come much earlier, and therefore the season for cleaning the garden occurs at the beginning of autumn. Dahlias are harvested in mid to late September. But you should not rush to collect plants. The best time for digging is the first two to three days after the first frost. The stem dies, and no longer needs recharge from the tuber, the deplorable state of the aboveground part serves as a bell for collecting tubers.

According to the lunar calendar for 2018

Also, some gardeners dig up, focusing not on the climatic conditions of the region, but based on the data of the lunar calendar. The most favorable dates will be:

• in September - the first week in full, numbers from 10 to 19, and from 23 to 30 (all numbers except 25);
• in October - the first three days, 7 and 8, week - from 10 to 16, all numbers from 20 to 30, except 24;
• in November - the interval from the third to the sixth, from 8 to 12, and numbers from 17 to 20 inclusive.

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How to dig up flowers correctly

To keep the tubers in good shape until spring, they should be properly trimmed. To do this, it is recommended to cut off the upper part of the stem with a pruner, leaving 10-15 centimeters from the ground. A small stump is required to eliminate the risk of moisture ingress and infection. Then the soil around the tuber should be loosened and the tubers should be gently pulled out without pulling the remains of the stem. It is recommended to dig and lift dahlias with a pitchfork, as a shovel or a hoe can seriously damage the plant.

Important! If the air humidity allows, it is required to leave the extracted tubers in the beds to dry. Then it is recommended to shake off the adhering soil and inspect the tubers for abrasions or rot.

Preparing tubers for storage

It is important not only to follow the rules of digging and not damage the roots, but to carry out the preparation procedure for winter storage correctly. To do this, it is recommended to clearly, point by point, perform the following actions:

• eliminate the risk of disease;
• get rid of excess moisture;
• prepare a wintering place;
• take care of storage conditions.

If all actions are performed correctly, then after wintering dahlias will certainly delight their owners with beauty and grandeur.

Treatment

In order to avoid the appearance and spread of infection after digging the tubers, it is imperative to process them. Potassium permanganate is considered a popular remedy against root diseases. It is required to prepare a pink solution in a large bowl (the volume depends on the number of tubers) and place the washed roots in it for half an hour. Often, instead of potassium permanganate, sulfur or any fungicide of a similar action is used.

Drying

Next, you need to dry the tubers well and prepare the dahlias for storage. The procedure is simple, but it is recommended to follow a few rules:

1. The roots should dry well and completely get rid of external moisture.
2. The tubers should be placed with the rest of the stem down to remove the liquid trapped in the shoot.
3. It is not recommended to dry dahlias in a warm room, as evaporation of moisture will lead to complete drying of the root.

The best place for drying will be a shelf or windowsill in the open air, in the absence of precipitation. However, it is recommended to perform the procedure on a sunny, relatively warm day, and do not leave the tubers overnight.

Storage locations and conditions

It is also important to think in advance where the dahlias will be stored throughout the winter. The tubers of the plant are unpretentious, but they need to comply with minor conditions. Usually summer residents prefer to leave dahlias in the cellar for the winter, but not everyone can boast of its presence. Then the plant is left in the living room. But what are the conditions required?

In the apartment

Important! The permissible air temperature for storing tubers varies from 3 to 10 degrees Celsius, but the humidity should not exceed 70 percent.

Therefore, gardeners often take them to the basement, but if there is no basement, you can find many other places for tubers to stay at home in winter:

• glazed unheated loggia or a special cabinet for storing vegetables on the balcony;
• a place in the bathroom (with a separate bathroom) under the sink;
• staircase;
• a specially equipped box on the outside of the window sill;
• with a small amount of material, the tubers are stored in the refrigerator, in the lower section for vegetables.

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In the cellar

Dahlias are also stored in a cellar at their summer cottage. But in this case, it is required to completely protect the wintering place from the invasion of rodents. It is recommended to treat the floor with special pest repellants.

Another problem is the inability to independently control the humidity of the air, from which the tubers can rot. Therefore, gardeners advise at least once a month or two to get a few tubers and inspect them.

Storage methods for tubers

To ensure that the tubers are properly cared for during the winter, it is recommended to store the dahlias in small boxes filled with any suitable filler.

In boxes

Wooden boxes for preserving dahlias until spring are the best place for several reasons:

• if necessary, they can be easily transferred to a more suitable place;
• the tree absorbs moisture into itself, this reduces the risk of rot;
• in apartment conditions, boxes are decorated outside; they can be made part of the interior.

In sand

When choosing a filler, many people prefer sand, which has a lot of advantages:

• not expensive;
• easy to pull out dahlias to check the status;
• does not accumulate excess moisture.

However, there are also a couple of downsides. First, you will need a lot of sand and large boxes. It is also heavy, and if necessary, you will have to make an effort to change the storage location.

Important! The sand should not be watered during the wintering of tubers, even if the roots seem to be losing too much of their moisture. Slightly overdried dahlias lend themselves to restoration, but nothing can save the rotten ones.

In sawdust

Sawdust, especially coniferous, create optimal conditions for storing dahlias:

• absorb moisture well;
• create a suitable temperature;
• cheap;
• coniferous sawdust also has disinfecting properties;
• lungs.

When covering tubers with sawdust, it is important to make sure that they are well dried and free of pests. If the gardener is not sure of their quality, it is recommended to dry them yourself in the open air, spreading them out in a thin layer in the sun.

Dahlia tubers waxing

A very laborious, but very effective method of increasing the safety of dahlias is waxing. Paraffin destroys possible infections and creates an optimal microflora of tubers, eliminating the influence of the external environment. Also, the wax-coated roots take up significantly less space.

For the procedure, ordinary old candles are suitable:

• in a water bath, you need to melt the material;
• dip the root suspended on a thread and immediately pull it out;
• hold in a suspended state until the paraffin has completely hardened (about a minute).

Vermiculite use

Vermiculite is also used for storage. It is enough to cover the bottom of the box with a small layer of coarse-grained vermiculite, place the dahlias on top, cover the box with cling film and transfer to a cool place. Any increase in storage temperature in this case may cause the risk of plant germination ahead of time.