Dahlias can behave like perennials or annuals, depending on your hardiness zone.
Use these tips to overwinter your dahlias successfully.
No wonder many dahlia growers ask, “Are dahlias perennials or annuals?”
Credit: Kindra Clineff
Dahlias often bloom with the exuberance of favorite annual plants likezinniasandmarigolds.
However, these plants grow from bulb-like tubers that can survive winters like perennial plants.
Here’s what you should probably know to successfully overwinter dahlia tubers and enjoy them year after year.
Credit: Blaine Moats
Are Dahlias Perennial in Your Zone?
Dahlias are native to the mountains of northern Mexico.
They are hardy, orperennial, in tropical and warm climates, springing up from the ground each spring.
Generally, dahlias are perennial in Zones 8 and above.
In Zones 7 and below, dahlia’s fleshy rootscalled tubersare killed by cold temperatures.
In fact, many cold-region gardeners opt tojust grow dahlias as annuals, buying new plants each year.
Overwintering dahlias as perennials takes patience, persistence, and a little bit of trial and error.
Moisture is a common cause of overwintering trouble.
Too much moisture or too little spells doom for dahlia tubers.
But in essence, these all boil down to five key steps to overwintering success.
Wait It Out
Allow dahlia foliage to completely die back to the ground in fall before digging the tubers.
While alight frost will damage flowers and some foliage, the plant will continue to actively grow.
Wait to dig the tubers until akilling freeze zaps all the foliage.
Dig the tubers as soon as low temperatures regularly dip to freezing.
Dig Carefully
Dahlia tubers are soft and fleshy and loosely held together by a data pipe of underground stems.
Lifting them out of the ground requires some gentleness to avoid damaging them.
Carefully lift the clump of tubers out of the ground and brush away soil clinging to the individual tubers.
Cure Dahlia Tubers
The tubers are very soft when they come out of the ground in fall.
Acovered porchor garage can be a great place to cure dahlias.
confirm to protect them from freezing temperatures.
Store Well
Moist, ventilated storage is critical to overwintering dahlia tubers.
A damp but not ventilated storage place will cause tubers to rot.
A well-ventilated location without adequate moisture will cause tubers to dry out and shrivel up.
Experts recommend balancing moisture and ventilation by packing tubers in a ventilated box or basket.
Place the tubers upside down, allowing plenty of space between the clumps.
Exactly how wet the vermiculite or wood chips should be is dependent on thehumidity in your storage area.
Begin by creating a packing material that is less moist.
Then, you could easily add water if tubers appear to be drying out.
Avoid locations that have hot or cold drafts or are too damp or extremely dry.
Check In
Pull back the packing material and check tubers every couple of weeks.
If the tubers appear to be dry or shriveling, sprinkle the media lightly with water.
They also represent inner strength, creativity, and elegance.
Yes, their tubers are, and they were once classified as a vegetable because of this.
