Do you have to dig up your dahlia tubers every year?

[pandora]

Being the daughter of flower farmers, sometimes, I wish the family farm location was in a zone, in which the dahlia's did not have to be dug up at the end of the season. It is time consuming, hard work that has to be done or they freeze!

I am wondering, if there are any lucky individuals on this forum that live in zone, where you leave them alone year after year? I must admit, I would be quite concerned and always checking for an unexpected hard freeze, if the tubers, were not stored away safely during the winter. Yet, the luxury of leaving them in all year, sounds delightful!

 

[LIcenter]

I believe you have to be in zone 8 or higher to consider them a true perennial. Not happening where I live.

 

[pandora]

I believe you have to be in zone 8 or higher to consider them a true perennial. Not happening where I live.

Oh, you made me laugh with your phrase a "true perennial"! Dahlia's will always be in the class of a perennial, it's just a case of whether or not we live in a zone conducive to allow the tuber to survive without being dug up.

So, yes, I hear you! So, do you plant dahlia's and dig them up after the freeze? Or do you steer clear of these beautiful flowers, due to having to dig them up?

 

[LIcenter]

So, do you plant dahlia's and dig them up after the freeze? Or do you steer clear of these beautiful flowers, due to having to dig them up?

I did for a few years, but with the evolution of my gardens, and sun decks, they no longer fit into the scheme of things. I'm cutting in new beds starting this year, so it's possible they may be back sometime in the future.

 

[Pat]

I live on the coastal side between PA and KY so we do have to dig up plants or they will freeze.

 

[Cereus]

Since WA has such mild winters and the area I lived in hardly ever dipped below 20F at lowest, we generally left stuff in the ground and had no issues. I admit it's nice to be lazy and leave bulbs/tubers in and not mess with them, save to get rid of excess to neighbors and friends.

 

[pandora]

Since WA has such mild winters and the area I lived in hardly ever dipped below 20F at lowest, we generally left stuff in the ground and had no issues. I admit it's nice to be lazy and leave bulbs/tubers in and not mess with them, save to get rid of excess to neighbors and friends.

Well, I must say, you are quite brave (but not lazy lol). At 20F, even if only once in awhile, I would be leery to leave the tubers in the ground. Do you use any type of insulation on top, like straw?

BTW
It is nice that you share your excess with neighbors and friends, in the world of flower farming, we either sell or double next years crop.

 

[Cereus]

Generally wood chip mulch on top before winter sets in since it's quite insulating and looks pretty, especially red cedar.

I grow for fun haha, since you're in the industry it makes sense to sell, ect. I often traded with friends and neighbors with plants and the like cause they have stuff that I don't and whatnot. I got an awesome lilac cutting from my mom's friend and made that sucker thrive like nuts haha. Gave her some tulip bulbs, iris tubers and dahlia tubers in exchange since she didn't have fancier varieties that my mother and I grew.

Besides, the soil's so fertile in the area I lived at that things thrived like no tomorrow and if I didn't find ways to get rid of the excess the bulbs/tubers would completely take over. One year it was so crazy that my mother was giving them away to customers at the bank she worked at cause the neighbors and friends had more than enough.