Digging and Storing Dahlias for Winter

Step 1: Lifting the Tuber Clump

• Use a gardening fork to carefully loosen the soil around all four sides of the plant. This will make it easier to lift the tuber clump without damage.

Step 2: Cleaning the Tuber Clump

• Gently brush off any loose soil and wash the clump to remove the remaining dirt.

Step 3: Trimming and Prepping

• Trim off all feeder roots and remove any broken or damaged tubers.

• Cut the stalk down as far as possible, leaving just enough to hold the clump.

Now, your tubers are ready to divide!

Dividing Dahlia Tubers

Step 1: Clean and Disinfect Tools

• Before starting, make sure to disinfect and clean all your tools between each tuber to prevent the spread of disease.

Step 2: Gather Essential Tools

• Have the following tools on hand: loopers, a sharp cutting knife, and pruning snips.

Step 3: Start Splitting the Clump

• Use loopers or pruning snips to split the clump into smaller, manageable sections.

• With your cutting knife, carefully cut away individual tubers from the stem. Be sure each tuber you keep has at least one visible “eye,” as this is where new growth will sprout.

Step 4: Be Selective

• Don’t stress over perfection! It’s fine to discard tubers that lack eyes or are not properly connected to the main stem.