The colorful dahlias are a highlight in every garden, but their care after flowering is crucial to their future splendor. Have you ever wondered how best to get these delicate tubers through the winter? Whether by digging up or in a pot, the right method can make all the difference. Here you will find out everything you need to know about the different options for overwintering and how to prepare your dahlias for the next season.
The dahlia is one of the most beautiful flowers in the garden. To ensure that the bulbous plant pleases the eye year after year, care after the end of the flowering period plays a crucial role. We'll tell you in the article how to overwinter the dahlias so that they get through the winter well.
The dahlias in the garden: Dig up the tubers and overwinter in the cellar
The dahlias delight the eye with their large flowers in late summer and autumn. You should overwinter the flowers before the first frost at the latest. Because the tubers are not winter-proof and cannot stay outside in the bed. Even if you mulch them, the tubers will freeze. To prevent this, dig up the tubers in October.
Loosen soil and dirt and checkTubers for pestsand diseases. Discard rotting or diseased tubers. For the rest, shorten the stems of the flowers to 6 cm. Allow the healthy specimens to dry in a dry and cool place for a day. Then line wooden boxes with newspaper. Wrap the tubers with newspaper and fill in the gaps with moist sand. Place the box in a dark and cool place. The garden house, garage or basement are ideal.
Overwintering dahlias without digging them up: Is that possible?
If you want to save yourself the trouble, you can overwinter the dahlias in pots. However, that doesn't mean that the potted plants can spend the winter outside. They are not frost hardy and have no chance outdoors. Check all potted plants for signs of infestation, rot and pests. Then cut the shoots back to 6 cm. The dahlias are overwintered in a cool, dry and dark place. This means that you should let the soil dry out a little before bringing the flowers into their winter quarters.
Next year you can either replant the flowers in the garden or plant them in pots. The dahlias require larger containers; the soil volume depends on the maximum growth height of the respective variety. For flowers that grow to a height of 1 meter, you need a pot with a soil volume of 35 liters. If you keep it in a container, you can use normal potting soil. The dahlia has no special demands on the substrate.
Propagate dahlias immediately after overwintering
Immediately after you have brought the tubers into their winter quarters is the right time to propagate them. Place the pots with the tubers in a sunny spot in a bright room. Wait for the flowers to sprout. Then cut off the shoots, remove the lower leaves and place the shoots with the cut side down in a seed pot with soil. Cover the pots with translucent cling film. Ventilate the shoots regularly and water the substrate when it dries out.
If the tubers are large enough, you can also propagate them by division.
Plant the flower again in spring
It can happen that the flowers sprout in the winter quarters. This usually happens when the room temperature rises above 18 degrees. These shoots do not harm the flower and are then simply cut back in April. If you want to extend the flowering period, you can put the tubers in a pot with potting soil at the beginning of April. Before planting, however, you must place the tubers in a container with water overnight so that they can soak up. Then they are placed in a sunny room. It's best to find a sunny spot in the room and only water the flowers when necessary. An important prerequisite for early sprouting: the temperature should be between 10 and 14 degrees Celsius.The dahlias likeso it's not too warm. This also explains why the flowers are allowed outside at the end of April. The advanced plants are simply strong enough and can easily survive a few frosty nights in May. They will then have already developed their foliage, which is also beneficial in the event of a pest infestation, for example by snails or aphids. Undeveloped tubers, which only form leaves in the garden, are more sensitive to leaf loss.
Also read:Growing dahlias from seeds: Really simple & with many advantages
