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Dahlias look very beautiful in flower beds throughout the warm season. It is not surprising that many flower growers and gardeners grow them on their plots. However, the issue of storing dahlias in winter is especially relevant, since the rhizomes of these flowers do not survive winter cold if left in open ground.
Conditions for storing dahlia tubers in the basement must meet certain requirements. For example, it must maintain the same temperature, and the basement must be dry. Otherwise, the planting material will die. From this article you will learn how to store dahlias in the winter in the basement so that in the spring there is something to plant in open ground.
Preparatory processes
Preparing rhizomes for winter begins before autumn frosts. It is very important to comply with this requirement, since neither the above-ground part nor the rhizomes survive frost. Planting material that has managed to freeze is no longer suitable for storage, as it will simply rot. To ensure that dahlias survive the first frost, insulate them before the onset of cold weather. This can be done by hilling the bushes like potatoes.
All the necessary landmarks are the weather.As soon as the first frosts touch the green mass of dahlias, you need to start digging up the tubers. First of all, using a sharp knife, cut off the green mass, leaving 5–10 cm of the stem at the base of the soil. You can also attach a piece of paper to them with the name of the variety. After this, dig up the tubers and carefully remove them from the ground. Rinse and disinfect in a solution of potassium permanganate. The tubers need to be dried, after which they will be ready for winter storage.
Storage conditions
Whether you store dahlia rhizomes in the cellar or in another place, it is important to observe the storage conditions:
- The room should be cool with good air circulation. The temperature in it should not exceed 5℃.
- The optimal humidity level is 60%.
- The presence of forced or natural ventilation.
Requirements for basements
Many flower growers and gardeners store dahlia tubers in their basements in winter. And this is indeed justified, however, these premises must meet certain requirements. Cellars are suitable for storing dahlias, the temperature in which varies within +1+5℃. The humidity level should be between 60-80%. Such conditions will not dry out the tubers and will not lead to their premature germination.
Another suitable option for storing dahlia tubers is a dry and cool basement, the temperature in which can reach from +1 to +10℃. Although in such conditions it will be a little more difficult to preserve the tubers. If the air humidity is 50%, then you need to take care of additional moisture of the rhizomes.
Basic principles of storage
The secret of how to preserve dahlias in winter is to provide them with proper storage conditions, which are similar to the principles of storing vegetables. The main task is to protect the rhizomes from rot, freezing, drying out or premature germination. In addition, the tubers need to be protected from rodents.
As a rule, they are placed in specially prepared boxes or laid out on dry shelves lined with paper or cardboard. Simple wood flooring will also work. If you do not have such a large basement, then the tubers need to be divided and stacked in several rows, which are sprinkled with sand or sawdust. If the tubers will be stored in boxes, then each of them must be individually wrapped in soft paper or plastic/cling film.
Planting material should be checked every 20–30 days. If some tubers have rotted, they must be thrown away so that they do not infect healthy specimens. If the rhizome is not severely damaged, then the rotten part must be removed, and the cut site should be disinfected with potassium permanganate, brilliant green or a special fungicide. The rhizome that was saved from rotting should be set aside separately from healthy ones. And completely replace the sawdust or sand in the remaining tubers.
Ventilation plays a significant role in how to properly store dahlias. The air in the room should be fresh, not musty. Because in the absence of ventilation, diseases and viruses will spread faster and the likelihood of damage to planting material will increase significantly.
If you notice that the rhizomes have become sluggish due to lack of moisture, then they should be moistened.A spray bottle filled with water will help you with this. But here it is important not to overdo it, otherwise the tubers will rot from high humidity.
If dahlias begin to germinate prematurely in a warm cellar, they can be taken out of the cellar and placed in a bright place. Another option is to plant in containers with substrate. The fact is that in a dark place the sprouts will stretch out, so their further storage in the cellar becomes impossible.
If the rhizomes have been gnawed by mice, then the damaged specimens need to be selected, and the whole ones should be covered more carefully. We'll have to remove the rodents.
Methods for storing dahlias in the cellar
There are several possible ways to store planting material in the cellar:
- In polyethylene.
- In sand.
- In paraffin.
- In a clay shell.
- In perlite or vermiculite.
How to store dahlia rhizomes in sand or sawdust has already been discussed in the article. Other storage methods will be described below.
Wrapping tubers in polyethylene
If there are no temperature fluctuations in your cellar, thereby maintaining a constant microclimate, then you can wrap each tuber in polyethylene before putting them in boxes. To do this, you will need plastic cling film, which can be purchased at every hardware store.
Carefully wrap the disinfected and dried tubers in film, each separately. Wrapped rhizomes do not dry out. They are also less susceptible to rotting, since they do not touch each other.
By maintaining a stable temperature, even small roots will be preserved in polyethylene. If you grow several varieties of dahlias, label them to make it easier to form flower beds in the spring.
Dipping in clay
Tubers in a clay shell are well stored in dry basements. This shell will protect the rhizomes from drying out and damage by rodents. After washing, disinfecting and drying the rhizomes, you can begin to immerse them in fatty clay dissolved in water. The consistency of the clay should resemble sour cream.
Soak each tuber in the clay for a few seconds, remove and set aside to dry. A fungicide can be added to the clay solution. After the clay has dried, the tubers can be collected in containers and stored in the basement. In the spring, the shell will need to be carefully removed: soaked or broken.
Waxing of tubers
Experienced gardeners prefer to wax the tubers. To do this, they melt paraffin, dip cleaned, disinfected and dried tubers into it for a few seconds and pull them out. When exposed to oxygen, paraffin cools almost instantly. This shell best protects the rhizomes from damage, rodents, premature germination and pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Paraffin can be bought in the store in the form of candles. It needs to be heated in a water bath to 60℃. After the first layer of paraffin has dried, you need to soak the tuber again to make the paraffin shell more dense.
After this, the tubers are sprinkled with sawdust or placed in plastic bags and sent to the basement. In the spring, when dahlias need to be planted, you will have to remove the crust from the tubers by rubbing it until it cracks.
Vermiculite or perlite
Before putting the tubers in the bag, pour vermiculite or perlite into it. At the same time, there must be an air flow in the bag, so small holes should be made in it. In such a shell, the rhizomes will remain until spring even at the balcony door, not to mention the basement.
Conclusion
If you follow the recommendations outlined in the article, you will save the maximum amount of planting material until spring. Whatever method of storing tubers in the basement you choose, store the rhizomes with a reserve so that in case of damage you have a sufficient amount of planting material left. We invite you to watch a video on how to wax dahlia tubers:
