Protecting My Dahlias for the Winter
My dahlia tubers are now well-protected for the winter... I hope.
When in bloom, dahlias provide some of the garden's biggest and most spectacular flowers in many different sizes, forms, and colors. However, native to Mexico, dahlias are not winter-hardy and tend to split in freezing temperatures or mold in soggy, wet soil. In most areas outside the warmest regions of the United States, dahlia tubers must be dug up and stored or covered before the cold season. In previous years, we've always uprooted our dahlias and kept them indoors for the winter. This year, in an effort to find an easier and more efficient way to protect them, we covered the entire bed with burlap and a very thick layer of hay - in hopes that it is enough to ensure we have viable plants come spring.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Remember all the gorgeous, colorful dahlias we had this year? Dahlias are among my favorite flowers. They begin to bloom with great profusion just as other plants pass their prime, and they last right up until the first frost.
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- This summer, I decided to move the dahlia garden to this area behind my vegetable greenhouse. In early June, we cleaned and cultivated the soil. This area was previously used for growing grapes. On the left are a few berry bushes.
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- In mid-June, we took out all the dahlia tubers that had been stored in our greenhouse basement and planted them. This spot gets great sun, and dahlias grow more blooms with six to eight hours of direct sunlight. And because the area is behind this large structure, it is also protected from strong winds.
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- By September, we had a bed filled with gorgeous blooms. Dahlias typically last through October in this area – as long as we’re not hit with an early killing frost.
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- In November, Ryan and Brian cut all the stems down leaving about five to six inches of the main stems and then left them to dry. Always wait until the foliage has turned brown before any winterizing. This is important so that the plant can gather energy for the following year. It will store starches in the tuber which will fuel initial sprouting in summer. The best time is a couple weeks after the first frost when they’re well into dormancy yet haven’t been harmed by the cold.
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- Dahlia stems are hollow making them quickly susceptible to rot. This is also why dahlias often have to be staked to help support their very large flowers.
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- This year, we wanted to keep the dahlias in place, so we decided to try a different method for protecting them. First, Phurba and Brian covered the bed with old burlap – burlap fabric that was too timeworn to use as boxwood coverings. We save these older pieces in a dry area of barn, so they can be repurposed. I always try to reuse, repurpose or recycle everything at the farm.
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- Brian and Phurba carefully line the entire bed cutting small slits around the granite posts.
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- Phurba goes over the entire space, making sure every dahlia is covered.
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- I grow a lot of hay here at the farm. The newer bales for my horses are kept in the stable hayloft; however, the older bales that my horses won’t eat are stored here above my run-in shed. This hay is saved and used to help winterize the hoop houses – and now our precious dahlia tubers.
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- Bales are delivered to the dahlia garden in large batches.
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- A standard two-string square hay bale weighs between 40 and 75 pounds. Brian and Phurba carry them to the garden bed one by one.
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- And then place them on top of the burlap. Phurba ensures the bales are positioned tightly together – it is important to cover the area completely, so the tubers are well-insulated.
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- This thick layer of hay acts as a barrier to protect the plants, much like a thick layer of soil or mulch would do.
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- Any spaces between the bales are filled with loose flakes of hay.
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- To keep excess moisture from saturating the tubers, I then instructed the crew to also cover the bales. The crew uses old tarps, also saved from another project, to cover the hay.
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- Brian and Phurba spread the tarps across the bed and in between the posts.
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- Phurba and Brian put down another tarp, overlapping it slightly with the first one and making sure it all looks neat, tidy, and covered.
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- To keep them in place, the tarps will be weighed down with logs cut from felled trees right here at the farm. And hopefully we’ll have lots of healthy plants next spring. How are you protecting your dahlias? Share your methods with me in the comments section below.
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- And what do you think, my peafowl friends? My peacocks and peahens are back behind the greenhouse sitting on the ledge watching all the activity around the farm.
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