DON'T dig up your dahlias this winter - here's what to do instead

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You don't always have to dig up dahlias to keep them over the winter. It depends on where you live (for example, USDA Zones 9 and sometimes 8, or the South of England). There are also other factors, so see this gardening video to find out if and how you can leave your dahlias safely in the ground.
Growing dahlias is easy. Dahlias are brilliant for glorious late-summer garden colour and they make beautiful cut flowers, but many people don't want the bother of digging them up over the winter.
I've grown dahlias for fifteen years, and many of my dahlias survive the winter in my borders in South East England. And leaving the dahlias in the borders saves time.
Tools used (Amazon affiliate links so if you buy, I may get a small fee, but it doesn't affect the price you pay):
Secateurs by either Fiskars: amzn.to/2hnq6Q8 or Felco:amzn.to/2hnMQQg
Purple Flexi-Tub trug:amzn.to/2hncKTZ
Ultra lightweight loppers by Wilkinson:amzn.to/2jdzeY6
Ferric phosphate based slug/snail pellets - brands include Sluggo: amzn.to/2zx1n0E, Growing Success:amzn.to/2hnhObk,
More beautiful late season garden colour tips here: • Best professional tips...
Subscribe to the Middlesized Garden RU-vid channel: / themiddlesizedgardencouk
Or the Middlesized Garden blog: www.themiddles...
#dahlia #dahlias #gardentips

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7 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 421

@bwghall1 5 лет назад

I have been growing Dahlias for 70 years started when I was ten gardening .as we had a sawmill, not far away I used to go and get many wheelbarrows of sawdust and shavings, I was taught to put a good thickness over the dahlias for the winter, then when the frost was gone it was raked up and put with animal manure to rot down. never lost any to frost as I remember. when well rotted then it was used as a feed and the PH stayed stable at 6. or 7. some bigger than dinner plates too.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Interesting-- because you have quite heavy soil I think?

@44moonbeam 4 года назад

I am a 74 year old gardener and enjoy your videos very much. Keep them coming. I have been a gardener since my early 20’s and have never lost my joy or love for this endeavor. Once bitten by this passion it is always with you. Good luck on your journey.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Thank you!

@maureenmckenna5220 Год назад

Much good luck in continuing with your passion. It has kept me strong and vibrant into my 79th year.

@jillvanburen7569 5 лет назад

Love hearing your tips since we live in Zone 8, Oregon, USA! Thanks so much for confirming that I don't need to dig my Dahlias; one less fall project!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Hope it goes well. Steven (and I) have found that we do occasionally lose a few dahlias, but compared to the faff of digging them up every year, I don't mind that.

@margaretskinner1416 Год назад

I'd test your zone with leaving only one type to test the first winter. Good luck.

@hazelold2882 4 года назад

Thank you - I’ve left dahlias in over winter and now they’re coming up for the third time. One did die off but another seems just as strong as ever. I do worry about them though so it’s nice to see you doing the same as me 👍🏻😊

@georgecopen1490 2 года назад

What zone ??

@hazelold2882 2 года назад

@@georgecopen1490 I live in the south east of England- this year I’ve got 6 dahlia plants that I left in over winter all coming up - still growing their leaves but flowers should be soon.

@BB-xm8jc 6 лет назад

Your voice is lovely, You should do audiobooks!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 6 лет назад

Bp37625 e827619 that's so kind of you to say so - I sometimes feel rather self-conscious about my voice so that's encouraging - thank you

@66REDD66 3 года назад

I concur. 👍🌻🌻🌺🌺❤️

@Solitude11-11 Год назад

I second that! 😊

@debbiethomas3687 3 года назад

I'm in Gloucestershire and left my Cafe au Lait dahlia in over winter last year, unprotected because I was away for a time and simply forgot about it. Fortunately the winter was very mild here. This year it put on a fabulous show, so I decided to leave it in again but have covered it with a very thick layer of mulch and some fleece. I've also put a big wire hanging basket over it, so the cats don't think the mulch is a latrine! Fingers crossed it will come through unscathed and put on an even better display next year.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I've generally found that if dahlias are happy in your soil then they do come back bigger and better, although after about three years, it's a good idea to dig them up and divide them before they run too wild. I don't think they'll worry about anything the cat does, if you've got lots of mulch on top they should be fine. It's worth putting a marker in, such as a bamboo cane, so you don't forget where it is and accidently plant something there before it comes up again in late spring, and that should discourage the cat.

@robertepagerp 2 года назад

Thanks for the video. I grow Dahlias on my allotment. I always leave them in. In the past I lave literally trampled them down to ground level using the stems as protection from frosts. I also cover them with spent compost and any straw I salvage from the strawberry beds. There are always loses, I use the opportunity to plant a new variety. The dahlias are cut for friends and local charities. I am located in the Cotswolds, the allotment is quite open.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

I might try a bit of trampling, I know alot of people fold their canna leaves over to protect the roots, so it makes sense for dahlias.

@rubygray7749 6 лет назад

I give you a thumbs up just for having such a listen-toable voice!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 6 лет назад

Ruby Gray that's really kind of you to say so - it doesn't seem like that to me!

@kassiscc1 4 года назад

I could also listen to her voice all day!

@athomewithfrancsicio 3 года назад

@@kassiscc1 isn't her voice fascinatingly perfect. 💕💕

@athomewithfrancsicio 3 года назад

@Ruby...I agree, I'm in love💕

@brandonscott1513 3 года назад

So true! It's very comforting. Could be a very good story reader.

@marybachmann 4 года назад

I'm not sure what zone I'm in on the beach of Washington State, USA, but my dahlias look like big daisies and they are spreading everywhere that they drop their seeds. Procrastinating about cutting them back actually works for me and I couldn't be happier! lol I'm a lazy gardener, but I love to listen to you.

@cherigreen4471 3 года назад

When I lived in East Anglia many years ago I didn't dig mine up either because I had two very small children and didn't have the time. They came back even with my neglect. I am an American and live in USA zone 6a. I am going to grow a few dahlias this coming year and I think I will try this.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I think it's worth trying - Zone 6a is marginal and they may not survive, but I do get occasional comments from Zone 5 gardeners who have succeeded. I think a lot depends on how wet your soil is, and if your area is fairly dry, dahlia may well survive.

@realstatistician Год назад

Great! That’s for confirming that! I know that the soil rarely freezes more than a couple inches deep, and at a certain depth the ground maintains a constant temp of about 50’ F, so I wondered why all of the Dahlia info I had seen said to dig them up instead of just putting a few inches of mulch over the top. Thanks for sharing that you’ve done it successfully!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden Год назад

Thank you!

@stacey_d 3 года назад

I live in US zone 8, so I was pleased to hear you mention that. For some reason, I thought your winters were much harsher. Thank you for the advice.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Our summers are not as hot as a USDA Zone 9, but our winters are very mild, like an 8 or a 9, and it's the winter temperature which is how you measure the Zones, because it's about which plants will survive the winter. That's why it seems so odd to talk about the UK as approximately a USDA zone 8 or 9!

@LibbySingsMezzo 3 года назад

If I lived in US zone 8 I wouldn't dream of bothering to dig them. However I'm in 6b, and have been toying with the idea of just giving them a really good cover. They never seem to grow again when I dig them, so not much to lose. The ones I planted this year are along a south-facing wall of the house so I figure my chances are better than 50-50. I agree with liking your voice. If Country Life ever did books on tape they could hire you!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Thank you so much. And just try leaving dahlias in over winter, piled high with compost. You may well lose them, but as you say, they don't come back when you dig them up, and it's much easier. I occasionally get comments from Zone 5 who have succeeded, but I suspect they have dry weather, which is the other factor.

@LilyAmongThorns 3 года назад

I’m in zone 5, our ground freezes and we get a lot of snow, I dig mine up, but interesting video ❤️👍🏼

@nikierohrer2001 3 года назад

I’m in mountains of Central Oregon Zone 5 and I wintered over Dahlias with lots of mulch. I even had Ranuculus come back in some raised beds that were heavily mulched with compost and wood chips. When plants popped up in spring I did have to cover them on nights that froze. It is dry here, occasionally snows and soil is sandy loam. Hope that helps!

@BrendaSchonig 2 года назад

I’m in zone 6b. I dug last year lost half of them anyway. Decided to leave in the ground this year. I bought 45 bags of steer manure for my 45 dahlias. I am going to cut open the bottom of the bag and turn it upside down on the trimmed plant leaving the plastic bag intact to keep the wind from blowing off the manure.This will also mark where the Dahlia is. I’m hoping the heat from the composting steer manure will keep the dahlias from dying. What do I have to lose I lost half of them last year anyway

@lonelywolf3209 5 лет назад

Thanx for sharing this Short..to the point..descriptive..informational and useful video

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Thank you!

@athomewithfrancsicio 3 года назад

Omg I know you hear this 1,000 times a day but I love your voice. Instant love. My ears are singing. Normally I can be annoyed with different dialects. I do voiceovers for a side job and yours is so lovely. Thanks for this instruction as I'm growing my first round of bulbs this season and clueless on what's the best way about this. I'm afraid to dig up and store in the house in case they get damaged. Thank you! New subscriber here 💕

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Thank you so much. Don't store dahlias in the house as they need to be somewhere cool and dark. Depending on your climate, give leaving them in the soil over winter a chance. If it doesn't work, you'll have to buy new dahlias, but if it does, it'll save you time.

@athomewithfrancsicio 3 года назад

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden thank you I already decided to do that, per your video. I purchased the compost as you suggested and piled it on, then mulch. I agree if it doesn't work I'll get new bulbs. We are in Georgia in the states zone 7-8 similar as yours. We'll see what happens, thanks!! 👍🏽

@joanashmore5815 3 года назад

So glad I found your video. I was about to go out and dig up my dahlias. I suspected that they may survive however, because last year I had neglected to dig up some in the back garden, and they thrived. I love the dahlias. Such colour and variety. Thank you for the tips. I live on Vancouver Island and dahlias grow so well here.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

If they survived last year, there's a good chance they'll survive this year, especially covered in a layer of mulch. So I hope it goes well.

@grahamthomas6283 6 лет назад

I feel you covered all areas on this subject thanks for your time 🌹🐞🐦👍👍👍👍

@stevekristoff2208 3 года назад

@alicebell 4 года назад

Good advice! This is what I did instinctively , having been too lazy to dig up my dahlias, and I never lost a single one. I’m lucky to be gardening in hardiness zone 9 in the UK though.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Yes, I think it gets much more variable below 9 and absolutely impossible below 8.

@mzurilovebeautyfragranceslove 5 лет назад

Wonderful x thanks. Once upon a time an old man from our neighbourhood approached me with what seemingly looked like and odd bag of potatoes . He asked if I had a garden and if so, I should plant them in the ground where there is sunshine and I would see the most beautiful flowers year after year. I took them gladly, in awe of what this stranger wanted me to experience! Such a rare encounter. Such an intriguing, kinda odd gift. Ha ha! Anyway I came to discover those odd potatoes were tubers and produce such beautiful Dahlias year after year. They are so tall now 8 years later! I leave them in the ground too. I will follow your tip on mulching and placing slug repellents in Spring. Our Dahlias are still in bloom though. We also see new buds appearing! Insect repellent is a must otherwise they shrivel up and die out mid bloom.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

How interesting!

@mzurilovebeautyfragranceslove 5 лет назад

Why, thank you!

@sammysworld5485 2 года назад

Yes. Depending on where you live with mild Winters is quite doable for some hardy Dahlias. I live in zone 7b here in NY where winters get frigid cold. So they must be pulled out & stored properly.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

I agree, that is getting really quite cold for dahlias.

@ritademetzer807 3 месяца назад

I’m a zone 2/3 in northern Canada. Definitely need to dig up my dahlias.

@jwsportsuk 2 года назад

im a gardener at a large golf complex. the thing is im not actually a gardener. or i wasnt. im a groundsman and used to looking after cricket and football pitches as opposed to dead heading plants. so my first attempt at growing daliahs this year has been relativley succesful. except for the fact that there is no uniform pattern. some have literally grown out of control and cant support their own weight. and others have been relativley short. so i think im going to have to dig them up and store over winter and replant in the spring with the tall ones in the middle (staked) and the smaller ones on the exterior. its been a massive but enjoyable learning curve. i live in the north of england by the way. so our winters are harsher than yours. thanks for the video. very informative

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

It's great to hear from you, good luck with the dahlias next year. I started with them before I grew other plants because they're so showy, a dahlia border almost always looks good even if there are the odd mistakes.

@elliepaske2062 3 года назад

Thanks Alexandra. I’m going to leave my dahlias in the ground mainly because I don’t have space to store them. I shall put a thick mulch over them.

@stephanieblaser8153 4 года назад

I always buy new Dahlia tubers every year, I’m came across this video and going to try it this year! Thank you for all the useful information!!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

You are so welcome!

@nigelwake306 3 года назад

I tried Dahlias for the first time last year . After watching gardening programmes and some excellent You Tube videos I raised my tubers indoors in trays of shallow compost .. When the ' babies' were about 4 -6 inches high .. I cut them from the main tuber and potted them . I got about 4-6 fresh plants from each tuber . When planted out .. I had about a 80% success rate .....Part of the reason I did this was to save money ... but a great hobby . Also a professional grower on Gardeners World stated that the blooms from ' harvested' plants are actually better . My Dahlia bed turned into a hedge of colour ... Left them in the ground and mulched them .. fingers crossed for the spring ! A bit disappointed that the ' Bishop' variety didn't survive .. Some of mine are ' Bishop of Llandaff ' It was this variety that made me want to start with Dahlias ......

@keithlynch7239 3 года назад

I was undecided whether to lift or mulch, now I've decided. Thanks!

@herbytree 5 лет назад

This is a really great channel! Just subscribed. I'm in the South of Ireland so similar gardening conditions. I plan on making quite a big dahlia bed next year and the idea of having to dig up every single dahlia was certainly off putting so I'll give this a go. Thanks for such informative videos.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Thank you!

@clairebeech8585 2 года назад

Daliah r my favourite flowers ever and this year I have alot in pots as i do most years, sadly they rarely seem to survive the frost and the snails which my garden is always full of 😩 I will try again this year covering them with alot more to protect them.

@peggymole4104 2 года назад

I leave my Bishops alone until late spring and then tidy everything up. It leaves a mess in the garden but the wild life like it. The plants must have been there for about 7 -10 years. Over the years they have walked across the garden to the spot where they are happiest. I don’t do anything other than periodically mulch in spring - maybe every 2-3 years. I don’t even bother with slug pellets as despite the initial damage they grow tall and beautiful each year. I live in the South East as well.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Good to hear. Some of my dahlias wander around the garden too.

@miker1645 5 лет назад

Thankyou I'm trying out a dalhia front garden nothing but I've played with lavender and roses but these look really vibrant

@DAM89 4 года назад

Living in south wales, i find that my dahlias suffer from rot from simply being to wet over the winter months. Most winters are mild here and rarely gets below -2 degrees Celsius. So now i simply cover the dahlia beds and keep most but not all rain water off them, and they seem to come back just fine in the spring.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Yes, I think wet is worse than cold for dahlias. You've clearly done the right thing.

@mercury_rising 3 года назад

What do you cover them with?

@vallee3140 4 года назад

I've never dug mine up but have used this method, they always survive

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

I do occasionally lose a few, but that's usually because I failed to add the mulch to protect them.

@angelkotilainen 4 года назад

I've left some out with no mulch and they lived for years, I didn't know when I inherited some. I live in South Wales Uk, no idea what zone that is. Since then I've learnt water is the biggest enemy of dahlias over winter, when they get really soggy they rot, and a good frost on top makes them explode in a way. Now I baby them and take them all out to over winter and to split them. But yes, they are sometimes way hardier than we realise :) I genuinely am puzzled how some of mine lived out for about 6 winters with nothing at all to cover them, I didn't even cut them back! Was clueless lol But every year up they popped, getting increasingly bigger. I think they died eventually because I remember the tubers started to rise up and stand proud, and that probably wasn't wise with our first snow in about 7 years! XD Yet they had held strong in some truly cold, frosty horrible weather.

@vallee3140 4 года назад

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden they have come back into fashion in a big way, haven't they? I have planted around 20 in the past year, I love them, so do the Bees but only the open face ones

@trevornazareth6852 4 года назад

We enjoy all your programs on u tube I have planted more dahlias as it’s Spring in Australia now Thanks for all your up dates on gardening Janet & Trevor

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Thank you. V envious of your spring as we slip towards autumn.

@DownButNotOutYet 2 года назад

I left mine tubers in but we had a very big downpour of rain and because of the cold the tubers rotted. I am a bit sceptical of leaving them underground, even though I intend lifting them all and planting in pots like I mentioned previously. Those in Monty Don's garden looks fabulous. Alas, all the gardens you have presented, the dahlias were also fabulous. I will let you know how things went, I trust they will thrive 👌

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Good luck! You're right that they hate the wet - I've had quite a few comments from people who have really quite cold winters and leave their dahlias in successfully, but I think they all have fairly dry ones.

@maureenmckenna5220 Год назад

You have to be fortunate enough to have reasonably temperate climates to keep them in the ground. I was given dahlia tubers by a neighbor who had bought a bag at a box store and had no room to plant all of them. I hadn’t planned on planting dahlias and just dug it in somewhere. The following year, it came up and was clearly too big for the space, so I moved it to a small open space behind a big bush. It proceeded to grow again, even bigger than the year before, well over 6 feet, and I thought, well you’re on your own and left it where it was, now year after year. A prolific bloomer, almost no care, although I will follow the advice in this video now. It has bright yellow blooms with orange centers. Explosion? Maybe. At any rate, I was never so impressed with a plant. Put two more dahlias nearby last year and they are just as wonderful.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden Год назад

Yes, I agree, and if you do have the right climate, the right dahlia can take over the world. I had an orange one that practically took over the whole garden. So beautiful.

@rizeye0014 2 года назад

At my mother's house in Ipswich, Massachusetts, which is zone 6b, I had dahlias survive the winter and grow plants the next year, but we didn't get any flowers from them. I tend to overdo things and I realized that the tubers survived because I planted them extra deep in the ground that year. I pre-started the tubers in a greenhouse, so when I was planting I didn't have to worry about the tuber trying to sprout through the soil; they already had a plant about 12 inches tall. So I put the tubers at 8-10 inches down in the ground. The extra depth is how they survived...

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Interesting, thank you!

@lizziemccorquodale5788 4 года назад

Thank you ! I am new to dahlias!! And I agree with Ruby Gray below!!

@lovedunkin 5 лет назад

That's all well and good if you live in a temperate climate. I have winter temps of 40 degrees below zero. The ground freezes feet down 6 feet. No dahlia in the world survives that.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Absolutely!

@angelkotilainen 4 года назад

Blimey, where do you live out of interest :) 6 foot frozen, I don't fancy that! :)

@pegjones7682 4 года назад

Practically all of Canada,in case you are thinking of moving here....6 feet freezing is a bit of an exageration though,that is unless its where thers no snow cover ..we are"lucky" and got 4 feet this year!

@TN-xi1hg 4 года назад

I live in canada gta and got my dahlia to survive in a pot even when it was exposed to negative 30 maybe negative 40 with windchill. I put leaves all around and ontop of the pot. About 30 cm all over it in general. I then removed the leaves in spring when it started to become positive temperature so that it wouldn't get soggy and rott. It survived without the leaves even when night temps went to -5. Now I will admit the tubers were not the greatest when I checked but there is green growth right now. There were tonnes of worms in the pot because of the leaves which is excellent. The worms are also probably what helped it survive if there was any root rot the worms would eat it and reduce further rot from spreading I assume. I'll let y'all know how it blooms. I'm going to slowly make this breed winter hardy.

@stefkadank-derpjr1453 10 месяцев назад

Agree...I'm in US zone 8 and I have two Dahlias which always survive the Winter with a good mulch....but I have grown a few others that always disintegrate in the ground even as they were grown in the same location as the others had the same amount of mulch on top of them. This will be the first year that I will dig them up and store them.... yes it's a little bit of a hassle but they are adorable.

@roderickherbert7233 11 месяцев назад

EXCELLENT ADVICE...I WILL ENDEAVOUR TO EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR SUGGESTION........NOTHING LIKE PLANTS IN BLOOM

@emmathienes8588 4 года назад

Going to have to subscribe because I keep running into your videos and I always end up staying to the end.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Thank you!

@anthonyrobertson7062 5 лет назад

If you live in zone 5 where it gets colder, they can survive if you plant them on the south side of an east to west wooden fence, or south side of a house that gets good winter sun. The ground stays relatively warm and can keep the tubers from freezing. If you plant them in a place where they get direct cold winds and the ground gets little sun or sun for only part of the day, they will probably freeze.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

That's interesting - it's the first time I've heard dahlias overwintering successfully in Zone 5 but what you say makes sense.

@orchidgarden3124 5 лет назад

I don’t know about that, in zone 5 this winter we had -20 F temps and many weeks in the single digits with not much sunlight. I don’t think I would chance it.

@Dahliaismypassion 5 лет назад

I live in zone 5a and I always dig my dahlias up. Although last winter I left some and they came back! But I think it was more of an exception, it does not happen often:)

@doniellestenson3502 Год назад

@@Dahliaismypassion a 3 foot mound of shredded leaves helps. 5b. Im trying Anthony, method. They simply don't store well for seven months.

@Dahliaismypassion Год назад

@@doniellestenson3502 I wish you luck! It a chore to dig them up, store, divide…

@louismorgan5355 3 года назад

Clear and simple. That's what I like

@botanicaltreasures2408 5 лет назад

Thanks, most helpful! We’re in zone 8 in the US so we do indeed have milder winters. Although it’s the middle of January some home centers here are starting to sell summer flowering bulbs, tubers etc. Although the packaging says wait to plant until the soil is warm, I think I’ll put some in the ground now and cover them deeply with mulch. Sometimes Spring temperatures come so quickly here that plants have a difficult time getting enough chill hours to establish. 🌷

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

I agree, I think if the soil isn't frozen, you might as well pop them in. They'll always be happier in the earth than in the packet anyway. Also if you are storing them, you can't keep them anywhere too warm or they'll start to sprout, and then it will be difficult. A mistake I made with my daffodils this year.

@botanicaltreasures2408 5 лет назад

🌼 Daffodils are wonderful. So cheerful and the squirrels 🐿 don’t eat them. Yes, my indoor storage spaces are too warm. I expect the few caladium tubers I have might sprout soon and then I’ll need to decide what to do. Probably I’ll plant them and keep them as temporary houseguests. Making sure they’re out of reach of the 🐈. Happy Gardening! 🌱

@taramellow3016 2 года назад

Help the dahlias I was storing indoors started to sprout.... should I allow it or will they never flower by may when I can take them outside? I’m in Rhode Island USA

@botanicaltreasures2408 2 года назад

@@taramellow3016 From what I’ve read, you need to find a cooler place to store them. In the house, they think it’s Spring. Do you have a garage?

@anthonylondon3366 5 лет назад

An alternative to outdoor wintering is to grow dahlias in pots/containers. Trim down to stalk in late Autumn and then store in shed for winter. Saves faff of traditional dahlia storage treatment.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

I'm glad to hear this as I have just brought a couple of dahlias in pots into the potting shed, so I hope they'll survive the winter (I'm thinking of covering them in something like horticultural fleece as the potting shed is quite chilly.)

@anthonylondon3366 5 лет назад

Yes Dahlias are lovely flowers but what with the usual winter tasks having to store them by recommended method.....lifting, washing down, separating, wrapping in paper with soil is time consuming. Might be something to do with the species but lost previous tubes with this method whereas those left in pots survived. @@TheMiddlesizedGarden

@mystijkissler8183 5 лет назад

Anthony London, do you water soil a bit or at all over winter?

@marymary5494 2 года назад

Thank you Alexandra. This is my first year growing dahlias. I didn’t know that I should have started my anti slug/snail precautions so early in the year, so yes you guessed it the slugs and snails have made light work of my plants in my greenhouse even though I’m out there early morning and at dusk on slug watch. I have decided to put my dahlias in pots, that way I can do the copper wire attached to a battery method. I live in NW Ireland we don’t get hard frost here but I think I still might lift my tubers.

@marilyncoburn4936 3 года назад

Depends on where you live and how much rain. In Vancouver Canada we lost all our Dahlias in the winter 3 years ago because of too much rain and cold. Now I dig them up. I lost Dahlias I had for many years and it was really sad.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Very much so, also on your micro-climate as well as your climate ( a frost pocket in Zone 9 could be worse than a sheltered spot in Zone 8)

@heidinoreng5892 5 лет назад

Minus 20 to 30 is not unusual where I live, but I forgot one dahlia near my house wall once, in gravel and sand. Big surprise when it survived. Anything is possible 😁

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

That's amazing. People often say that plants and plants in pots near the house wall are dramatically better protected than those even a few feet further away, because a house wall absorbs sun and central heating during the day and gives it off at night.

@jodishays6610 3 года назад

Just taking care of my Dahlias today - am here in Los Angeles. Did not have a good year with them. Hoping for a better 2021!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I hope you do too!

@jodishays6610 3 года назад

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden am also from the South of England, but South West now live in Los Angeles. It's a completely different sort of gardening! Not even sure of when or what to do with my roses so I am going to continue to watch your episodes :)

@ausmahali3063 2 года назад

Thank you, great advice and a beautiful voice.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Thank you!

@kapilafavorites 3 года назад

Beautiful colors Dhalias. Thanks for sharing

@sharbanc3489 6 лет назад

Thanks for this information. I am at US zone 8b and been thinking about not digging the dahlias out but was not sure about it. This video encourages me have it a go, mulch them well, and put a mini green house using empty flower pots or some clear plastic from my recycle.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 6 лет назад

I think 8b is very similar to our weather in southern England. Hope it works (mine has eight times out of ten, I would say). But I don't mind occasional losses as it gives me an opportunity to buy something new!

@judyjamison9860 2 года назад

I wish this would work in my Zone 5 area because I don't really have a good place to store them and I spend a fortune buying new bulbs every spring!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Ah, I think it's very unlikely although Erin from The Impatient Gardener RU-vid channel is Zone 5 and just spotted one of her dahlias that had survived the winter, very close to her house wall.

@janeh3842 3 года назад

I`m in East Midlands and have bought some fleece. I intend to cover the "crowns" with fleece topped off with compost. Fingers crossed!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I'd add the compost first and then put the fleece on top only when a hard frost is forecast. The compost slowly deteriorates and feeds the soil and it can't do that so well if the fleece is in the way, although the fleeces do break up and leave little bits of plastic based fleece in the garden. Good luck with it - I think you are a little colder than we are in the winter, but it's always worth a try.

@coolwater55 3 года назад

Thank you for this information about Dahlias!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Our pleasure!

@englishcountryliving448 3 года назад

Wonderful video thank you. I’ve been debating whether to lift mine or not. Those in the ground went berserk this year. I’ll shift the pots but mulch the others.

@capbin146 2 года назад

Great channel to find because I am in the same area as you. Thanks

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Thank you!

@billyflanagan2546 6 лет назад

Hi Thanks so much for getting back to so quickly. I don't seen to have any luck with Dallas at all. Your flowers luck FAB.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 6 лет назад

Thank you!

@kassiscc1 4 года назад

This was super helpful! Thanks so much!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Glad it was helpful!

@luttuts6731 6 лет назад

Nice advice!! I live in a town garden in the center of Belgium.I will really try your advice. Thank you so much! I will try the varieties you are using!!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 6 лет назад

Lut Tuts I hope you enjoy them

@luttuts6731 6 лет назад

Thank you for answerig my message. I normally write no comments. But your channel is inspiring me. I have a town garden that is very important to me. I started years ago with roses and lavender.(they were very disappointing) But with all the shade I switched to Camelia's (they flowered from december and are now in full bloom) on the North side.Al lot of structure green bushes (buxus ,taxus,euphorbia,yucca,tinus,helix...).With a lot of clematis climbing through them in summer. In this way I'm always glad to come home.Winter and summer alike. That's my idea of a garden:a nice,beautiful place to come home to . I wish you a lot of success with your channel!!

@rachelmckee8980 4 года назад

Hey, did you try this last year? How did it go?

@user-qd5ne5hv4c 5 лет назад

Very beautiful information and beautiful video. Very very thanks for the advice. (Atyant sunder jankari)

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Thank you.

@hrbille 4 года назад

My biggest problem with Dahlias and many other perineals is that I forget exactly where they are in the spring and end up, stepping on them when I work with their visible neighbours 🤨

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Ah yes, that is a problem, I think!

@jwest4773 4 года назад

Take photos on your phone every couple of weeks of your borders. It's the only way I can remember where everything is.

@jimbersmcimbers 3 года назад

Worked a treat can confirm!

@lulus7511 4 года назад

Hello Alexandra, first of all, thank you so much for your beautiful and instructive videos, as well as for the very enjoyable calming rythme of your voice. I love dahlias and here, in the North of France where I live, it is ok to leave them in the ground if you’ve planted them deep enough (mine are as deep as 30 cm = 12 inches and they still find their way through the soil), and of course, mulch them as you show. I wanted to ask you the name of the beautiful cultivar that’s the lighter magenta red in the upper right corner of the image at time code 1.54 when you mention the 2 very dark varieties that are also striving in your garden. It’ s so beautiful I’m in love with this color ! Is it the Thomas Edison dahlia ? Thank you and please keep up the fantastic work !!! 😃

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Thank you so much. It's a dahlia called Con Amore.

@lulus7511 4 года назад

Thank you Alexandra, I’ ll definitely add « con amore » to my collection!

@angeladyson7367 2 года назад

I also don't dig up gladioli bulbs. They grow happily amongst dahlias and returned the following year. I just gave them a heavy mulch with the dahlias. That however was in the south of England. I've since moved to Shropshire and have my Dahlias in pots. Last year I just put the ones in pots against the wall of the house and again heavily mulched them. They survived a hard winter. This year after the move they're still in pots and (in November) I'm considering transfering them to large pots with plenty of manure and no or very little root disturbance then putting them near the wall of the house. I just hope they survive. 😐

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Good luck. I also left gladioli in, although they did slowly disappear over a few years.

@seanhale7915 2 года назад

I think this true only for your zone and warmer. I’m in USA zone 6 in coastal Massachusetts and there’s no chance they’d survive. I know from the few I’ve missed when digging them up over the years. Last week (early May) I unpacked and replanted 60 tubers I had stored in my basement. Only two had rotted, so a good result. My father lives in Dorset UK. He’s 87 and years ago always dug them up. Now he leaves them and all survive with a bit of mulching. Evidence of global warming, as winters there are noticeably milder.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 2 года назад

Yes, I agree, though there are a surprising number of comments from cooler places where the dahlias have survived, but it's also connected to how wet your winters are too.

@billyflanagan2546 6 лет назад

Thanks so much for your advice.

@jaads7910 4 года назад

Thank you , I'm in North Yorkshire, il try it this year,

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Can be more tricky if you have very heavy and waterlogged soil. But I hope it works!

@LilyAmongThorns 3 года назад

I’m in zone 5, our ground freezes so I’ll continue to dig them up 😊👍🏼but thank you, nice video.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Thank you, yes, Zone 5 a bit too chilly for dahlias over winter!

@Togidubnus 3 года назад

My neighbour leaves his Dahlias in the ground throughout the year successfully, but I don't. I like to divide them, which stops them getting congested. Also, they are late to emerge when left outside. For a longer flowering season I like to bring them on early, then plant into an improved soil. Incidentally my Bishop varieties (Bishop of Llandaff, York and so on), far from being tender, actually self-seed for me.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

All very good points - they do get very congested if you leave them in for years on end, and yes, they do emerge a bit later. I have since wondered if I actually planted my Bishop dahlias somewhere too shady and that that's why they didn't come back, so interesting to hear that yours have self-seeded.

@bigwong7614 5 лет назад

My mom has a big garden and she never digs up anything. Dahlias are so nice to look at.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

they are!

@louisehunter9121 3 года назад

Hi Alexandra, my dahlias I stored in their pots during winter in a frost free place have done so well! I have dug around them to check for any damaged tubers and wondered what to do with them now? Shall I bring them indoors?

@paulavieyra4821 27 дней назад

I live in South West France, my garden has clay soil and it rains a lot in winter, do you think I can plant bulbs?

@nikkianderson667 11 месяцев назад

I live in New Zealand and have loved Dahlias since my Mum grew fond of them so I have been growing them since before my Twenties now and I'm in my early Fourtie's I have never over wintered them and have only learnt of people doing this since belonging to a Dahlia page where they talk about gall disease a lot which I also never heard of, why I'm not sure? 😂 they also swap and buy different types they're after anyway as I said I have never over wintered mine I have always left them in the ground. I have only lifted to gift a tuber or dig them deeper as they've slowly risen up out of the ground and I'm wondering why do people do it? Also why we need to divide them up does that not make the plant smaller?

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 11 месяцев назад

If you live somewhere where the ground is very cold, the dahlia will die if it's left in the ground. That's why people with cold winters dig up dahlias. The reason why they lift and divide them every 2-3 years is that the plant grows new roots underground, so it can get very big, but the original roots die off. So you get a very big plant with a dead part in the centre. If you dig it up, and divide it, you'll get lots of new plants for free, which will become as big as the original one day.

@colleenbateman5140 3 года назад

Very helpful! This is my first year planting Dahlias, I was shocked by how big and heavy they get. I planted one near a spreading rose bush, so I should have done my research before planting. Do you have any suggestions on a good way to stake them during the summer? I had to keep going back and adding more support. I am in Georgia in the US and this year we were in the path of many hurricanes so I was out during the storms trying to keep the stalks upright.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I'm not sure any staking would survive a hurricane, but generally here people do their staking early in the season and either place or weave some sort of a cage over the emerging plants. You may find this post and the included video helpful. www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/make-natural-plant-supports-clippings/

@joka7316 3 года назад

Get some heavy duty posts ( I use street sign posts from work) and use netting, like a soccer goal net and hang it horizontally. Let the plant grow up through the holes. You will need to be sure the posts are stout.

@rizeye0014 2 года назад

I used a table saw to cut pressure treated 8 foot long 2x4's down the middle the long way, basically making them into 1x2's. I used another saw to cut an angle on one end of the stakes to make them go into the ground easier. Then I use cheap string or twine to tie the dahlias to the stakes as they get taller. They sell green poles at home depot, but you have to get the thicker, taller one in order to work, which are more expensive. I was taught to always hammer the stakes into the ground first before planting, then plant the dahlia next to the stake. If you do it after you plant, you risk damaging the tubers, or roots. I like doing it that way because I find it easier to space the dahlias out by evenly spacing out the stakes about 24 inches apart with a tape measure. Then I plant a dahlia on each side of the stake about 5 inches away. I usually plant the same color on each side because when you tie them to the stake, they will look like one plant...

@maryellenshirley8518 Год назад

Colleen, what Zone are you in? I'm 8a West Central, GA. So much rain, then unexpected freezing Temps after 85 degree days, my Dahlias from last year rotted. I'll have to take more precautions this year.

@charlesbale8376 4 года назад

Thank you, very helpful info.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Thank you!

@brittanygarrison8030 4 года назад

I live in Philly 7b never had an issue.

@SoilandMargaritas 4 года назад

I wonder how that will be in my zone 5 in Indiana...??? Im gonna try that this year thou.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Zone 5 does sound a little too cold for leaving your dahlias in, unless you have an exceptionally sheltered garden. I've been interested to hear how many Zone 7 have left them in safely, however. But great to try, let us know how it goes!

@aprilm9551 3 года назад

Hello, Thank you for the video, but I would like to make a request: It would be helpful if you put your agricultural zone either in the title of the video, or right at the top of all the text info. You could say something like, "Applies to Agricultural Zones 8 and above". I'm in zone 5 (in USA) and was wondering about this method applying to my zone, and could only find out at the end of the video when you divulged your zone. While I did enjoy seeing some pics of your dahlias, I found the video also made me a bit sad because I would never be able to leave dahlias in the ground over the winter. Posting your zone info in a conspicuous place would be useful for anyone in a zone below 8.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Good idea, I've done that, thank you.

@SilVia-hs2kb 5 лет назад

I live in zone 7, and i'm going to try it.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Good luck- you may be a bit on the cold side but they don't all survive when stored so its worth a try

@katriinabell454 4 года назад

Did it work for you? I'm in zone 7 too.

@TheNumerum 3 года назад

@@katriinabell454 i live in zone 7 in the states and it worked for me. Just try it.

@waynejones750 10 месяцев назад

Thank you for that.

@sarabeescutflowersmore795 4 года назад

Im guessing this most likely will not work in zone 6b... SE Michigan. We get mostly very cold winters and go under 0° F into the negatives. I did though once have a dahlia survive (Kelvin Floodlight). Most likely because it was up against the house by a vent of the crawlspace. We open up the vents and let heat under the house in the winter so pipes don't freeze. This would be awesome if this did work in our zone. Maybe I'll try it with a couple just to test it out. I have over 50 to dig up, wash, divide and store.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Yes, I think zone 6b is a little cold but maybe it's worth giving it a try but I think you would have to be resigned to losing the plant.

@SH-op7el 3 года назад

This is really helpful, thank you. I’m wondering if covering the bed with plastic bags after mulching would help too?

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I wouldn't recommend using plastic bags. If you pile the mulch on quite thickly, they should be OK but if they're not, I doubt that plastic bags would have helped

@annlaurier9616 3 года назад

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I put on mulch and a tent with 6 ml plastic to let the water run off secured with heavy rocks...is this ok?

@RudyWarman 3 года назад

All good but i'd personally lose the slug pellets! A few night patrols in spring is my preferred method of moving on gastropods.

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

That is generally considered the best method! I must brace myself as I find them rather horrible.

@RudyWarman 3 года назад

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I used to feel the same but once I realised their purpose I now embrace them. I like to use a head torch, some gloves and an old tub. Then they go to the compost where they can carry on transforming my food waste 😊

@kimberlypenney7216 3 года назад

Would you do a video on peony care after flowering?

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I will certainly try to, as I have been thinking about peonies.

@hmh1252 5 лет назад

Yes but you are in zone 7-9 correct?? Not possible in Canada in zones 4-6 unless u want expensive tubers turning to mush...but I do love your garden and your videos anyway! Thanks from Canada and slug tips!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Yes, you are right - leaving dahlias to overwinter in the ground is generally only possible in zones 8 or 9 or warmer (which I say in both in the video and the description) - although there is one comment below from Anthony Robertson who says that they may be fine in Zone 5 if planted in a warm spot. It's all a bit trial-and-error, too, as there can be very cold spots in gardens which are technically Zone 9 and so on... thank you for commenting and for viewing from Canada!

@manormani1 5 лет назад

I live in Vancouver canada.and I have over 25 dahlia plants and I never take them out for winter.they are fine you just need to cover them well.

@hmh1252 5 лет назад

You can leave terra cotta pots out all winter on the west coast as well !, Vancouver winters are nowhere near as brutal as they are in Ontario unfortunately. Oh how easy it was to have a fab garden when I lived in BC! So balmy compared to where we are in zone 4a...when I was first learning to garden I lost a bunch of nice varieties of tubers completely mulched, protected in a cold frame etc. But have since learned how to store my growing collection in rubbermaids (w amendments ) in a cold basement now...

@jillwyzywany4980 5 лет назад

Another wonderful video💕. Do you have a recommendation for knee pads for gardening?

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 лет назад

Yes, I like the kneepads that are stitched into Genus Gardening wear trousers and I also bought the Burgon & Ball kneepads from Amazon (amzn.to/2HBtpwr) and found them good. That's an affiliate link by the way, which means I would get a small fee if you bought through it, but it's a genuine recommendation of something I bought myself and found good.

@MF-xp9tq 3 года назад

Greetings and Thank You!!! I'm trying dahlias for the very first time this year. I have a small garden. I'm in U.S. zone 7. I got so hopeful for a moment when you mentioned that you leave your tubers in the ground. I think that I'll have to plant them in pots for easy winter removal. I do have one question though. Are there a specific group of dahlias that seem to do well in the ground? Thank You Again for your informative video. Cheers!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

I don't think it's necessarily about specific groups of dahlias, and I fear that Zone 7 will be a bit too cold, but you might as well give it a try! One thing that seems to make a difference is whether you have wet cold winters or dry cold winters - wet cold winters are really bad for dahlias, but they seem to deal with drier cold winters a bit better.

@rhondabaker3143 4 года назад

Nice video, thank you. What zone are you in? We are in zone 5 temps to zero F and occasional below zero.

@timatkins6693 5 месяцев назад

Hi there! I left my dahlias in the ground over winter with lots of mulch on top. I’ve now scraped back the mulch but can’t see any sprouts. When should I expect to see sprouts from the tubers? Many thanks!

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 5 месяцев назад

I'd say May, but depending where you live, it has been an unusually wet winter, and that damages dahlias more than the cold. Fingers crossed!

@jilldench1404 5 лет назад

Great video. Thanks.

@vinaynayak513 4 месяца назад

I don’t understand how the slug baits help when that tubers are in the ground, and the slug can get to them even before getting to the baits

@mystijkissler8183 5 лет назад

thank you very much

@thekingstone8632 3 года назад

Hi new Subscriber here Ihave always wondered if you could leave Dahlia,s in overwinter now I will definitely give this a try...thank you xxxShaz

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

Hope it goes well. If you have a very cold, wet winter, they may not survive, but it's always worth trying.

@kate2goswimming 11 месяцев назад

Thank you for this posting as I do not want to dig up my dahlias at all. I live in zone 7, so sometimes our winters get cold, do you think I can still leave the tubers in the ground with sufficient compost protecting them?

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 10 месяцев назад

I think it is marginal in a Zone 7 and depends on whether your soil tends to be very wet (dahlias hate wet, cold soil) - I know from the comments I get that some people in Zone 7 do succeed, but others don't. I would suggest giving it a try and hoping for the best but I'd give it 50/50, I'm afraid.

@melissab3038 10 месяцев назад

Also depends on how many you have - I don’t have enough to risk losing half of them so I believe I’ll go ahead and dig them up today. I kind of need to move them anyway. Thanks for the post!

@shanlynwebb 3 года назад

I have never dug up my dahlias either.

@NostalgicCookingByCarrol 3 года назад

Thank you

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 3 года назад

You're welcome

@marie-estellamcveigh1841 4 года назад

For dahlias in pots, would you suggest leaving them in but bringing the pot into a dry place over winter? I'd love to be lazy about this and just put the pots into the shed/garage... or will the tubers simply rot in the pots?

@Scowlingoverlord 2 года назад

I would like to know as well

@peterlongden243 4 года назад

Also depends on soil type? If heavy clay the tubers can become water clogged so they would rot sitting in water ! Not every garden is the same no matter were you live

@TheMiddlesizedGarden 4 года назад

Yes, absolutely - although I'm on reasonably heavy clay and my dahlias are fine, but we are in a dry area. Cold and wet would definitely affect the dahlias badly.

@barbaramiller5052 2 года назад

I do use this method successfully. However my problem is when do I divide the tubers that are getting too big. In fall before covering with mulch (and then in my rainy Pacific Northwest, with a tarp to keep moisture mostly out) or should I dig them up to divide in spring. Neither time seems optimal so I just avoid the process and end up with too massive a tuber. Please advise.