Storing Dahlia Tubers

Market Boy

Hi. I am about to lift and store my Dahlia Tubers. Do you have to keep them in compost or do others just leave them in a cool dark place and say cover them with a sack or newspaper. I am trying to save on buying more bags of compost. I have plastic bread boxes or cardboard boxes. Any suggestions

yorkshirerose

Once the frost has blackened the foliage. Lift the tubers, clean off and dispose of the top growth. Remove all traces of soil/compost, dust with sulphur powder and store upside down (to drain off any excess moisture) in a frost free place. I tend to keep mine inside a box which contains polystyrene chips for extra protection against frost.

Market Boy

Thanks yorkshirerose. Good idea re the polystyrene chips. I didn't think of that we have got tons of it at the office.

Hostafan1

I must be the laziest person alive . I lift mine and just butt them up against each other in an unheated polytunnel, no drying, no removal of soil,no searching for hidden critters, no covering them with anything, just as they come out the ground and let them get on with it . 
In spring, it's first come first served. I don't " start them off " and only pot them up once they've started growing.

punkdoc

I agree, very lazy 
But if it works.

terence.mccallum

I lift mine dry them off then wrap in newspaper, then put them in large plastic boxes leave the lids loose and put in the loft with an old sheet on, have grow again every year, but are getting a little large now

Mr. Vine Eye

Last year I dug them up, trimmed the stems short, washed them, stood them on some pots upside down to dry out. Then put them in a plastic box filled with dry compost - with the lid on loosely.

They stored fine that way, I planted them out in May, just straight in the ground and they grew very well this year. 

However that's a lot of faff and takes up a lot of space in my shed - so this year the ones that I'm keeping I'm just going to mulch over the top of.

Hostafan1

punkdoc said:

I agree, very lazy 
But if it works.

Some folk maybe just have more time on their hands .....

Market Boy

Thanks All
Good advice from all. I will try the Non Compost route I think and report back next spring.