From Garden to Storage: How We Dig, Divide and Store Dahlia Tubers
There is something pretty special about digging up dahlias at the end of the growing season. After months of watching them grow, tending to the plants and enjoying their beautiful blooms, it's time to bring those treasures out of the ground and prepare them for another year.
At Summer Rain Farm, October is all about wrapping up the flower season and getting our dahlia tubers ready for winter. It's a busy job, but one of my favourite parts of growing dahlias is knowing that each tuber has the potential to produce another beautiful plant next summer!
Digging Up the Dahlia Clumps
Once frost has finished off the foliage and the plants have died back, it's time to dig.
We carefully lift each clump from the soil, taking care not to damage the tubers attached to the main stem. Depending on the variety and growing conditions, some clumps can be surprisingly large!
This year, we've been fortunate to have a productive growing season, and we've been busy digging, washing and organizing our dahlias. Once lifted, we gently remove the excess soil with water and allow the clumps to dry before moving on to dividing.
Dividing the Tubers
This is where the real work begins!
A dahlia clump can contain several individual tubers, but not every tuber is suitable for saving. The most important thing to look for is a healthy tuber with at least one viable eye.
The eye is where next year's growth will begin. Without an eye, even a beautiful, plump tuber won't produce a new plant.
We carefully separate the individual tubers, keeping a portion of the crown attached wherever possible. We also inspect each one for damage, rot or other imperfections. Healthy, firm tubers with viable eyes are selected for our collection.
Each variety is kept separate and clearly labelled. This is especially important when you're growing several varieties, as tubers can look quite similar once they're out of the ground!
Organizing and Preparing for Winter
Once divided, the tubers are sorted by variety and prepared for storage.
We take extra care to keep everything organized so we know exactly what we have available for our customers. It's a wonderful feeling to see all those varieties lined up and ready for their next growing season.
At home, we store our dahlias in our cold cellar, where we can keep an eye on temperature and moisture throughout the winter. The goal is to keep them cool and protected from freezing without allowing them to dry out or become too damp.
Every growing space is different, so gardeners may need to experiment with their own storage conditions. An insulated garage or wine fridge may also work, provided temperatures and humidity are suitable.
Why Buy Your Dahlia Tubers in the Fall?
Fall is a wonderful opportunity to get a head start on planning next year's cutting garden.
By purchasing your tubers early, you can choose your favourite varieties before the spring selection becomes available. You can also begin planning your garden layout and decide which colours and flower shapes you'd like to grow.
Another option is to presprout your tubers in early spring. This gives them a head start before planting outdoors and can help you enjoy blooms earlier in the season.
Dahlias come in so many beautiful colours, shapes and sizes. From soft blush and creamy tones to rich burgundy and vibrant coral, there is something for every garden.
Growing More Flowers, One Tuber at a Time
One of the things I love most about dahlias is that they can be grown year after year. With a little care and proper winter storage, those same tubers can reward you with another season of beautiful blooms.
There is a lot of work that goes into getting them from the garden to your hands, but it's worth every bit of it.
At Summer Rain Farm, we grow, dig, divide and prepare our dahlia tubers right here on our small Ontario flower farm. We love sharing our favourite varieties with fellow gardeners and helping others discover the joy of growing dahlias.
Ready to grow your own dahlias?
Our dahlia tuber collection is available through our website. Browse the varieties, find your favourites and start dreaming about next summer's garden!
Our 14 Dahlia Varieties 🌸
Ferncliff Cameo
Sweet Nathalie
Lark's Ebbe
Arabian Night
CT Bounty
Tapioca
Rebecca's World
Day Dreamer
Ivanetti
Eveline
Caitlin's Joy
Chilson's Pride
Viking
Cornel Bronze
Visit us and grow something beautiful with us.
Happy gardening!
Michelle
Summer Rain Farm 🌸
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