Enjoy Beautiful Dahlias Every Year

• 1). Label your dahlias while they are still in the ground, especially if you have more than one color. It is easy to get them mixed up in storage over the winter. Carefully cut away any stakes and wires that have been used to hold up the stalks and stems. Keep these items for use next year.
  
  
• 2). Trim off the top foliage of the dahlias soon after the first frost. Leave just a few inches of stem growth. Use a sharp pair of garden shears to avoid tearing the growth. Cut at a slight angle.
  
  
• 3). Dig up your dahlia tubers. Make a wide circle around the tubers to avoid damaging the side shoots from the roots. Unlike many bulbs, dahlias' tuberous roots can grow and spread. Take care not to cut through these roots. Use a small hoe or spade to lessen damage caused by digging.
  
  
• 4). Use your hands to gently remove the soil from around the large tuber and the small roots. Gently use a garden hose to rinse away excess soil remaining on the roots. Root division can be done at this point if you notice additional tuber growth. Remember to label these tuber divisions.
  
  
• 5). Dry the rinsed tubers on clean newspaper. Lay them out in the sun, turning them after the top side has dried. Place the tubers in a box with clean straw or sawdust to guard against damaging humidity during storage. Vermiculite also works well in humid climates. Place the box in a cool, dark area of your home until spring. The ideal temperature for storing dahlia tubers is between 40 and 50 degrees F.
  
  
• 6). Check the tubers every month they are in storage. Some may shrivel in very dry climates. If so, lightly dampen with a fine mist from a spray bottle. Remove any tubers that may have become mildewed. Plant the tubers outside after all the chances of frost have passed in the spring.