10/21/2026
If you bought dahlia tubers from us this spring (I hope you had awesome flowers!), it's time to start thinking about how to deal with them over the winter. Here are a few options that we are thinking about ahead of our big dahlia dig:
Option 1: Dig them up and store them. Digging tubers is how we handle most of our dahlias…but we sell the tubers in the spring. This is the most labor-intensive method. You also get the added bonus of worrying about them in storage all winter. Dahlia tubers are like a root vegetable, so they need root cellar conditions…cool temps and high humidity. If you can't provide those conditions, storage is tricky.
Stress level: Max
Option 2: Leave them in the ground. We had success leaving some of our dahlia tubers in the ground this past winter. We cut the stalks off, down to the solid part of the stem where possible (dahlia stems are hollow until the base). The whole bed got a thick blanket of leaves (at least 12 inches) and then we covered with landscape fabric and garden staples…and a few big rocks for good measure. We had a 65-70% survival rate the following spring. The key here is preventing rot. Eliminating excess moisture rather than maintaining heat seems to be important.
Stress level: Medium to low
Option 3: Do nothing. Hope for the best. Buy new tubers in the spring. If this is your speed, our dahlia tuber sale happens every March. 😜
Stress level: Zero
More to come on digging and storing!
