Storing dahlia bulbs for winter really isn’t very hard, and it’s well worth the effort. That way, you can grow your favorite dahlia flower bulbs year after year! In this post, I’ll show you how to dig up the tubers, and give you step-by-step instructions for overwintering dahlias.
I love dahlias. I mean who doesn’t, right?
Dahlias are a gorgeous addition to any summer garden, and they add such a cool tropical feel.
The best part is that you can easily overwinter dahlia bulbs in your house, and plant them in your garden again next year!
Oh Those Big, Beautiful Dahlia Blooms
I remember the first time I discovered dahlias. I saw a giant dinnerplate dahlia in a public garden… and it took my breath away.
I had no idea what it was, but I knew I had to have it!
So, when I got home I rushed to my computer immediately and started obsessing about it. After a few clever searches, I quickly found the ID of my newest favorite plant.
Of course I HAD to have one in my garden, and instantly became a girl on a mission. It wasn’t long until I had my prize.
Dahlias In The Garden
One sweet, beautiful, plump (plump?) dahlia bulb.
After giving it several kisses and doting on it (TMI? Maybe.), I grabbed my shovel and headed out to the garden. I wasted no time getting my new baby into the ground.
Several weeks later, I was rewarded with those gorgeous giant blooms I was dreaming about (I’m sure the kisses made all the difference).
But, with our short growing season, it wasn’t long before frost was in the forecast and panic set in.
Frost is always a major buzz kill!
Dahlia Rigletto Flowers
Do Dahlias Come Back Every Year?
Dahlias are tropical flowers, and they are not frost hardy. Dahlias can live for several years in warmer climates. But if you live in a cold climate like I do (Minnesota), dahlias won’t survive through the winter outside (boooo!).
So, I knew my new favorite flower wasn’t long for this world, but I didn’t want to lose it forever. So what did I do… (are you in suspense yet? Maybe a few more dots…)
… I dug up my dahlia flower bulb and stored it for winter. Of course!
Dahlias make a gorgeous addition to the garden or in summer pots, and they are a definite must in my garden every year (these days I grow several varieties).
But don’t worry, you can keep your favorite dahlias and regrow them every year in your garden, even if you live in a frozen tundra like I do!
Gorgeous Dahlia Flower
The good news is that you can dig up dahlia flower bulbs (BTW, technically they are tubers not bulbs, but I don’t see the Dahlia Police around, so we’re good) and store them in your house over the winter.
Then you can regrow them year after year. It’s a huge money saver. And guess what? It’s super easy to do too. Woohoo!
Preparing Your Dahlia Bulbs For Winter Storage
Before storing dahlia bulbs for winter, you must first dig them out of your garden (dah!).
But, if you grew your dahlia in a pot, you can skip this step and simply leave it in the pot all winter. Just cut back the foliage, bring the pot inside, and store it in a cool, dry place until spring.
If your dahlias are in your garden, follow these quick steps to get them ready for storage…
- Dig up your dahlia flower bulbs after frost has killed the foliage
- Gently shake off any excess dirt
- Cut off the stems and leaves
- Allow large bulbs to cure (dry out a bit) for a few days before storing. Smaller dahlia bulbs don’t need to cure.
That’s it.
No need to rinse all the dirt off your dahlia bulbs or split them apart. Just leave them in one large clump with a little bit of dirt and they’re ready for winter storage.
Overwintering Dahlia Bulbs
Storing Dahlia Bulbs For Winter
There are lots of ways of storing dahlia bulbs for winter.
Some people have great success just tossing their dahlia bulbs into a paper bag and storing them on a shelf in their basement.
But small bulbs can dry out using this method. So I prefer to take a safer dahlia storage approach.
Supplies Needed:
- Cardboard box
- Dry to slightly moist packing material (I use peat moss, coco coir, wood chips (pet bedding is great) or sawdust. Whatever’s cheapest or I already have.) You could also use a mix of vermiculite and perlite if you have that on hand.
Steps For Packing Your Dahlia Flower Bulbs
- Line the bottom of the box with newspaper (optional, but it helps to keep the packing material from falling through the cracks) and a layer of packing material.
- Lay the dahlia bulb in the box so it will be surrounded by the packing material.
- You can store several dahlia flower bulb clumps in one box, but try to pack them so they’re not touching each other.
- Fill the box with packing material so that your dahlia bulbs are completely covered.
- Close the box and put it on a shelf (or whatever space you have). It’s important that your dahlia storage space is a cool, dry location that stays above freezing. If it’s too warm, your dahlia bulbs could rot.
Simple, right? Yes! I told you it was easy.
Storing Dahlia Bulbs Over Winter
You can try using different types of packing materials for storing dahlia bulbs for winter, or simply try wrapping larger bulbs in newspaper and packing them in boxes.
Experiment to find the dahlia storage method that works best for you.
Whatever you do though, don’t store dahlia flower bulbs in plastic bags or containers. If they are kept too wet they will likely rot or get moldy.
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Share your tips for overwintering dahlias and storing dahlia tubers in the comments below.
Laura @ RYG says
I went on a garden walk this summer where I saw Dahlia’s the size of a small pie plate. I guess I just have pie on the brain. Anyhow, Dahlia’s are gorgeous. Bright and cheery, I have no clue why I don’t grow them. Didn’t realize they were even a bulb!!! Just admire in other’s gardens. That needs to change! Here in the greater Niagara Falls area, the tundra certainly has set in. Fireplace is roaring and we’re watching the Hobbit and counting our Halloween Candy.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, that definitely needs to change! 🙂 Dahlias are fun to grow, and overwintering dahlia tubers is super easy!
Carole @ Garden Up Green says
I love dahlias – its the one flower I’ve always wanted to grow but have hesitated because they tend to take up space. I want to add a bed specifically for them in my next garden. Thanks for the storing tips this was super helpful..
Amy Andrychowicz says
I added a whole bed specifically for growing annuals and tropical plants (like my dahlias) a few years ago (I call it my tropical garden)! It’s so much easier than to try to find spots to plant all those bulbs in my perennial beds, and makes digging them up way easier too. Have fun with it!
Amanda @ The Kolb Corner says
I love Dahlias. They are so vibrant and there are so many different color combinations!! Thank you for sharing how to overwinter them!
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome!
Janet Vinyard says
Thanks for these tips – I love dahlias, too! When do you plant the bulbs in the spring? Blessings, Janet
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome! I plant my dahlia tubers into the garden once the ground warms up in the spring. Here in Minnesota, that’s usually sometime in late May/early June.
Dan Martin says
I dig and store some every year in a paper lined box filled with peat moss and put in coolest part of basement, the cooler(40-50F) the better. You can store them inside at 60F but they will start to grow a month early so you have to open the top of the box but they still transplant. Some moisture is better than letting them completely dry out.
If you have a warm basement you can make them perennials. I plant mine on the south and west side of my house about 1 foot from the house since the ground stays warmer all winter and rarely freezes. They survive the frost every year, especially if you mulch over them, put a bag of unopened mulch on the ground, or cover the ground with black plastic like I prefer, any to keep the ground warmer. Works for cannas and dahlias here in zone 5 and you have flowers a month earlier than everyone else.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, I’m surprised that you can keep dahlias and cannas in the ground through the winter in zone 5, even with all that insulation. Impressive! Thanks for sharing your tips for overwintering dahlias.
Bea Randall, of Washington State, Snohomish County says
My husband built me an insulated closet in the corner of our garage, with shelves. Then he made me some wooden boxes with air holes so the air could circulate around them. There is an electric light bulb at the top. I only turn it on when it gets down to about +10 or lower (here in the Pacific Northwest) so the closet is dark most of the time. I have found as long as I don’t put the boxes on the very bottom layer (on the concrete slab floor) they make it through the winter just fine. Sometimes I just put my dahlia tubers in the boxes, recently I’ve been covering them with very slightly damp dried moss. I don’t divide them until the spring, when they kind of fall apart anyway. Sometimes I break a few individual bulbettes off to give me space to see that I’ve gotten all of the damp soil out form in between the sections. ( Dahlias are my hobby, not a profession).
Amy Andrychowicz says
WOW!! That sounds amazing! I’m super jealous of the insulated closet your husband built you for storing dahlia bulbs for winter! I bet you could use it as a root cellar too, for crops like potatoes and carrots. Thanks so much for sharing your tips for overwintering dahlias!
Carole Biskar says
Thank you! Your comments are very helpful. I wasn’t sure when to divide the bulbs. I’ll wait until spring. I write the name and color of the bulb with sharpie before storing.
maureen fodge says
This article was very informative. Thank you. I love dahlias. Some of mine are in pots and some in the ground. I pray they survive, they are not cheap to buy. I brought in some blossoms the day before major frost.So far nothing has wilted yet. So I still have flowers inside.My growing season was really strange this year.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome! Good luck with your dahlias.
Linda Vadas says
I dig and store dahlias for the winter. In March I plant them in pots, indoors, and they start sprouting in a few weeks. When the foliage is about 12″ tall I take cuttings and root 3 stems per pot in seed starting soil. They grow beautiful flowers, but as an annual. Cutting back also encourages fuller plant growth. Our last frost date is May 20 (seacoast of NH) and that’s when I plant the cuttings and tubers in the flower gardens.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, thanks for your added tips!
joe vandenburg says
Thanks for your tips.
Donn says
I store the tubers in damp peat moss but I also dust them with garden sulfer. That way if there are any diseases on them or the clinging soil the whole tuber doesn’t rot
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks for the added tips for how you protect your dahlia bulbs from rotting during the winter!
Kevin Hilton says
I’ve stored mine in vermiculite and peat moss however I’m not sure if they rot and just dry out but they seem to most time shrivel like a raisin. I’ve unfortunately lost many a tuber this way. It’s funny..I ordered some tubers from Floret and the tubers came in vermiculite but the vermiculite was moist and the tubers were all in a plastic bag. Heck even Costco sells their tubers in a plastic bag with peat moss added but not to drown the tubers. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.
Amy Andrychowicz says
If your dahlia tubers are drying out, then you could dampen the medium a bit before storing them. You could also check on them a few times during the winter to make sure they aren’t completely drying out, or being kept too wet (which can cause rotting or mold). Companies package bulbs for sale in different ways… but that’s not always the best way to store them long-term. 🙂
Tricia ward says
I have stored my dahlias in the same peat moss for a couple years , a few have gone rotten in that box , now as I bring it out to re winterized them my box has a smell should I change the peat moss thanks tricia
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, I would recommend using new peat moss every year for storing your dahlia bulbs. The rot could have been caused by a fungus or disease that can survive in the peat moss, and reinfect your bulbs again year after year.
Jim says
Amy
Wisconsinite here. How early do you pot or pull your tubers from cold storage to get them started without having them get too leggy before going in the ground in mid to lake May?
Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
I just plant my dahlia tubers directly into the ground once it’s warm enough in the spring, LOL!
Frank says
I’m wondering if my dahlias need moisture? They are starting to look like prunes. They are overwintering in my garage in a dry peat mixture.
Thanks,
Frank St. Catharines ON
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you can definitely give your dormant dahlia tubers a little bit of water if the peat mixture has dried out completely and the tubers are shriveling.
Linda Mann says
This is my first year for dahlias. I love them. I planted mine in pots but they didn’t do as well as I had hoped. I want to take them out of the pots and store in a box with peat moss
This scares me. Lol. Would you suggest that I leave them in the pots and remove tubulars in the spring or take them out of pots and go for the box method
Amy Andrychowicz says
Either method would work just fine for storing dahlia bulbs overwinter. If you have several bulbs, why don’t you try both methods to see which one works best for you.
Barb says
I live in a ranch style house with no basement no attic space either. I was wondering if I could store my Davila tubers in the pet bedding pine shavings inside a cooler so I can place it in the unheated garage over winter? I live in zone 5 Chicago suburb. I have six different types of dahlias that I would love to replant next year.
Amy Andrychowicz says
If your garage never gets below freezing, then it would work. However, if it does freeze in there, then the dahlia bulbs may not make it (if they freeze, they will die). You could certainly try it to see if it works for you. I personally would not risk it unless you have extra dahlia bulbs you can experiment with. Instead, you can keep them in a dark closet in the coolest room of your home, a utility room, or a storage room. We have a finished basement so it’s warm throughout our house. I overwinter my bulbs in the utility room, and it works great.
jfgreens says
If you give it a try, try to keep your storage container as close to an inside wall as possible to keep them a little warmer. I cooler might be too air tight and not allow for some circulation. If your garage is attached, I would think you would be good until at least 10 or 15 below outside.. For my storage I do dust with sulfur and then use a method that you would think wouldn’t work, but has been successful when placing them in my crawl space. I wrap the cut tubers in cellophane and then put a loop of blue tale with the tuber name on it. I stored about 275 tubers last year and had 2/3rds spout. (Wisconsin)
Amy Andrychowicz says
A crawl space is a great idea for storing dahlia and other bulbs!