How to save dahlia roots in winter. When to dig and how to store dahlias in winter at home? Proper storage of dahlias

Dahlias are perennial plants with beautiful large flowers that adorn the gardens of hobby gardeners in temperate regions. But early flowering varieties are successfully grown in the northern latitudes: in Siberia, in the Urals. Strong, healthy dahlias can only grow with proper care. It is important to strictly observe the conditions for storing the root parts of the plant in the winter.

Novice gardeners find that caring for dahlias requires a lot of effort and time and often leans in favor of less whimsical plants. But at the first self-planting of tubers in the ground, people change their minds, since timely watering, pruning of rotten and dried stems, providing protection from late summer frosts are the main and main conditions for good growth of dahlias.

The tubers are dug up in the first decade of October, when the roots have reached a size that allows a new growth cycle to be repeated. But until that time, it is important to protect the plants from frosts, which begin in early August. Although the temperature drop is short-lived, and then warm days come again, the tender stems of dahlias are covered with brown and yellow spots.

To protect the roots from rotting, it is necessary to cut off the dead parts of the plant and make sure that the roots do not receive a lot of moisture. At night, dahlias are covered with spunbond or film, and in the morning, when it starts to warm up, the protective coating is removed. 7 days before the day of digging up the tubers, the stems of the plants are cut to a level of 10-15 cm from the ground. At this time, it is impossible for moisture to get on the roots.

Tubers should be stored in a room with moist air and low temperature, which should not be below 5 degrees Celsius. For these purposes, stock up on boxes or cardboard boxes, parchment paper. Sawdust, clay, paraffin or plastic wrap will serve as protection against moisture and freezing.

How to prepare tubers for winter storage?

Stems should be left so that the tubers do not rot, and it is easier to split them into divisions. These are individual parts of a plant that have at least one bud. Usually it is located on the kidney belt, but may be closer to the neck. When ready for blooming, the buds begin to swell and it is impossible not to notice them.

Dig up the roots with a shovel so as not to damage the tubers. It should be placed at a small distance from the bush and immersed in the ground as deep as possible - first vertically, and then slightly tilting the tip of the shovel towards the roots. You should gently pull the dahlia by the stems and pull it out of the ground with its roots.

cleaning

Further, events develop according to 2 scenarios: the tubers are stored together with the soil or thoroughly cleaned from the ground and treated with fungicides or a potassium permanganate solution. The second option is more preferable, as it allows the tubers to provide reliable protection for the winter period. Although some gardeners believe that this increases the risk of root rot.

Division

If the tubers are washed with water, then after treating them with special solutions, the tubers should be carefully examined. Too thin (less than 1.5 cm in diameter) are cut off, the same is done with tubers that are painted dark or turn white. The uterine part (last year) is also removed - it is the largest in size. Short thin roots are cut off completely, and longer threads of roots - only half. The tubers are carefully divided into separate parts, each of which has a thin part in the upper zone that passes into the neck, and at the bottom there is a large root and several short ones.

Drying

Separated tubers are laid out on parchment or cardboard in a cool room, the temperature in which does not rise above +16-17 degrees Celsius, and the air has a good level of humidity. If it is too dry, the tubers will shrivel and dry out. The root part of the plant is dried for 1 week. If during this time darkening is found on the tubers, they are carefully cut off and these places are treated with brilliant green or lime.

How to store dahlias in winter?

The root part of the plants "overwinter" perfectly in basements, refrigerators, basements and garages. But we must ensure that the roots do not dry out or, on the contrary, are not too oversaturated with moisture.

Cellar storage

It is desirable that during storage the tubers do not come into contact with each other. To do this, they are wrapped in parchment, and each is tied with a strong thread. It is impossible to stop the access of air to the roots. Therefore, they are laid out in rows in wooden boxes. You can sprinkle layers of tubers with sand.

Storage of tubers in a clay shell

Damage to tubers with this method of storage does not exceed 4-5%. The clay mixture is preliminarily prepared: the powder is dissolved in water to the consistency of sour cream. Each division should be dipped in the solution and dried thoroughly in a well-ventilated area. A strong protective shell is formed on the surface of the tubers, which does not allow them to dry out and is a reliable barrier against fungi and mold.

Storing dahlias in the refrigerator

It is not always possible to store tubers in a garage or cellar for lack thereof. What to do in this case? Processed and properly dried tubers should be wrapped in parchment, tied up and placed in bundles in the refrigerator chamber designed for storing vegetables.

It is necessary to ensure that there are no temperature drops, and the regulator is on indicators that do not allow the tubers to freeze. From time to time they need to be turned over and watched so that the paper does not become wet.

Storing dahlias in cling film

For storage in this way, you should buy a roll of cling film in advance. It fits tightly on the tubers, leaving no air pockets. Parts of the plant are "wrapped" in layers. First, one tuber is wrapped in a film, another is applied to it. A turn of cling film is made again. It turns out one layer of coating on the second tuber and two layers on the first. So do the other delenki. One "package" contains 5-6 root parts.

Storage of dahlias in sawdust

Processed tubers are placed in "slender" rows in cardboard boxes or wooden boxes. When the first layer is laid, it is covered with sawdust. Then lay out the next layer of tubers. It is also covered with a layer of sawdust. They should be large - small ones are not suitable for the reason that they dry out too quickly and begin to take moisture from the roots. To prevent this from happening when using large sawdust, the containers are periodically inspected. If the sawdust has become dry, they are sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

Waxing for storing dahlias at home

You should stock up on a piece of paraffin or buy a few candles in the store. The paraffin solution is made in a water bath. When heated, the substance begins to melt. When it reaches + 60-70 degrees Celsius, you can start processing the tubers. They are immersed in paraffin liquid, first on one side, then on the other, so that the tubers are completely covered with a protective layer. After the first layer dries, the delenki are dipped in paraffin again. After solidification of the substance, the root parts of the plant are removed for storage.

Do not heat paraffin on a gas stove - it can ignite! The container should be placed on a plate with a closed spiral. It is even better when the solution is made in a water bath.

How to store tubers at home?

Before the onset of strong autumn frosts, tubers can be kept on the balcony. When the temperature starts to drop, they are transferred inside the room and placed on the floor near the balcony. It is necessary to ensure that there are no radiators nearby. You can place the tubers in the refrigerator. Previously, it is better to wrap them in parchment or wrap them in pieces of canvas.

Storage conditions for dahlia tubers

Dahlia tubers are perfectly preserved under temperature conditions from +1 to +7 degrees Celsius at a humidity level of at least 70-80%. The room must be well ventilated. The tubers are periodically turned over and carefully examined. Dark spots need to be trimmed and processed.

How to dig and store dahlias in the Urals

In the northern latitudes, the summer period is short, colds set in early, during which the plant may die. How to prevent this? Gardeners choose early flowering varieties for planting: flowers appear on them on the 30th day after planting. Beautiful multi-colored "caps" of plants manage to please dahlia lovers from mid-July to the last days of August. To keep the tubers in the ground until fully ripe, a film or spunbond is used.

The injury of dahlias can cause some concern for beginner growers, especially if there was once a bad experience, and the planting material was partially or completely lost. This happens if the storage conditions for dahlias are violated. And they are as follows: a constant air temperature from + 3 ° C to + 6 ° C at a humidity of 55-70%. It is this temperature and humidity that are stored in the basements.

You are reading the continuation of the article "How to save dahlias?" Step three: storing dahlias in winter.

Storage of dahlias in basements.

Before storing, clean dahlia tubers are kept for 15-30 minutes in a strong solution of potassium permanganate, dried and placed in the basement on wooden flooring, shelves, in boxes or boxes. Even undivided dahlia nests can be stored in the basement, as there is enough space. Dahlia tubers are sprinkled with sawdust (preferably coniferous) or sand, laying in 1-2 rows. You can simply wrap dahlias in paper and put them in a box or box. The main task in storing dahlias is to protect them from rotting, drying out, freezing, premature germination and eating by rodents. For this, once a month, dahlias are viewed. Tubers with signs of decay are removed, small lesions are cut out to healthy pulp, wounds are cauterized with brilliant green, a strong solution of potassium permanganate or another fungicide, sand (or sawdust) is changed to a new one. Basements are periodically ventilated so that air does not stagnate in them and infection does not spread. When the tubers are wrinkled (a sign of drying out), they and sand (sawdust) are moistened from sprayers, watering cans. If the substrate is excessively moistened (decay begins), the air humidity is reduced, the storage is ventilated, sand or sawdust is replaced with a dry one. With premature germination of dahlias, they are exposed to light so that the sprouts do not stretch, if necessary, they are planted in pots with earth. Rodents can cause considerable harm to dahlias. They are saved by the usual methods and techniques.

In the photo: Dahlia (Dahlia, Dahlia, Dahlia). Bicolor dahlias.

Storage of dahlias in a clay shell.

If the basement is dry and the tubers are shriveling, try storing dahlias in a clay casing. Dip the prepared tubers (washed, dried, treated with a fungicide) in a clay mash, thick as sour cream, with the addition of some fungicide. Then dry until a crust forms and fold in 2-3 rows into boxes. In the spring, break the crust by tapping and plant dahlias.

Storage of dahlias in cling film.

In recent years, experienced dahlia growers are increasingly using a new way of storing dahlias in cling film. The method has many advantages, including allowing you to save even the thin roots of dahlias. The method is suitable for cool basements with a constant positive temperature not higher than + 7 ° C. The absence of temperature fluctuations prevents the formation of condensate inside the film. The method is convenient, simple, gives minimal losses from decay, the tubers take up very little space (a few tubers can be stored in the refrigerator). During storage, the tubers do not dry out and do not fade, they do not require checking in winter, as they are reliably isolated from each other. The essence of the method is as follows: prepared divisions are treated with a fungicide and dried (liquid fungicide) for an hour. After one, the tubers are wrapped in cling film with an "envelope", reporting a new tuber at each turn (fold) of the film. The result is a compact bundle with 5-6 tubers inside. The end of the film is fixed with adhesive tape, adhesive tape. For each variety, they make their own bundle, mark it with a marker and put it in a box. In the spring, the film is torn apart. Dahlias without buds are germinated on wet sawdust.

Storage of dahlias in the apartment.

Not everyone who wants to grow dahlias has a basement. Sometimes only a loggia or a room of an apartment is available. But even in this case, it is possible to preserve dahlias even at temperatures sometimes reaching + 20 ° C. Dahlias are stored in apartments, already cut into pieces, because here we are limited in area. When cutting delenok, they often resort to removing the hemp. It is believed that the rotting of the dahlia begins with it. The stump is removed immediately after digging, gently scraping off its skin and pulp with a knife until the root neck appears (do not touch it). After that, the tubers are dried in the air for 3 hours, kept for half an hour in a strong solution of potassium permanganate (or other fungicide) and dried again. Prepared root tubers are put in a box (for example, from under shoes), sprinkled with sand. The box is placed in a plastic bag and stored until frost on the balcony, at sub-zero temperatures - in the apartment near the balcony door.

Storage of dahlias in vermiculite, perlite.

In apartments, dahlia tubers are stored in plastic bags with small holes for air, sprinkled with dry sand, sawdust, peat, vermiculite or perlite. Packages are located in the coolest places of the apartment, for example, at the balcony door. Sand heavy, absorbs moisture well, so the germination of tubers in it begins a little earlier. Vermiculite retains moisture well, is easy to use, protects tubers from drying out, but at high humidity causes early germination of tubers. Perlite, on the contrary, takes moisture from the tubers, drying them out, which is undesirable, its dust is harmful to breathing.

Storage of dahlias in paraffin (waxing)

It is very convenient to store dahlias in paraffin in apartments. Paraffin inhibits the germination of tubers, therefore it is especially suitable for varieties that germinate too quickly. Dahlia tubers, no later than a day after digging out, twice, with a break for hardening, are immersed in paraffin, melted in a water bath to a temperature of + 60 ° C. Tubers in hardened, cooled paraffin are placed in plastic bags, sprinkled with sawdust, tightly closed. When stored in cool rooms, waxed tubers are placed without filler in low boxes. Before planting, the film from dahlias is not peeled off, it is enough to rub it so that it cracks.

When storing dahlias in any way, losses are possible, consider this. Until one of them has been tested and worked out, leave a sufficient number of root tubers for storage.

Lush dahlias, decorating the garden from summer to frost with bright caps of flowers of various shapes and sizes, make the heart ache every autumn: how many unblown buds as a symbol of unfulfilled hopes are left on their bushes! Dahlias are a holiday in the garden that you want to repeat next year, and for this you need to save their rhizomes without loss in winter. Amateur flower growers have developed various ways to store them.

Dahlia root tubers should not dry out too much before being stored, since when they dry out and wrinkle, they are worse stored, and in the spring they give weak seedlings. Insufficient drying leads to rotting of tubers during storage.

Before storage, mechanical damage to tubers should be cut and sprinkled with charcoal powder. Rotting of the dahlia root neck during storage prevents root tubers from being dusted with chalk or ash; florist V. Kirichenko dips dahlia stumps in freshly slaked lime diluted in water to a thick cream. Dipping rhizomes in a clay mash is also practiced. Then dried root tubers are placed in the basement, on racks in storage. It is undesirable if potatoes or other vegetables are stored here - the increased humidity of the air next to the vegetables can cause the occurrence and spread of fungal diseases on the rhizomes of dahlias.

It is considered the best storage mode for dahlia root tubers at a temperature of 3-5 degrees and an air humidity of 60-70% with good ventilation.
You can put the tubers on a layer of peat in boxes and sprinkle them with peat; instead of peat, sand or sawdust (preferably softwood) is also used; when the tubers dry and wither, the insulating material is slightly moistened. Dahlia root tubers in boxes are sometimes shifted with paper. Florist A. Kandaulov advises to sprinkle tubers in boxes with "dead earth" (soil that has been under buildings for a long time), so that only stumps remain on the surface, around which he lightly sprinkles with quicklime.

Not all growers have the ability to store dahlias in a basement or storage room, so for storage in a city apartment, the tubers are often placed in boxes that are placed in the coolest place (for example, next to the balcony), or stored in plastic bags with insulating material. When storing in warm and dry rooms: dahlia tubers are placed in bags filled with dry peat, then the bags are tightly tied. When stored in warm and humid rooms: pre-waxed dahlia tubers are placed in plastic bags and sprinkled with dry peat.

Florist M. Koryagina wraps dahlia tubers in a newspaper and puts them in a plastic bag, which is placed in a cardboard box; closes the box with foil and puts it in the coldest place in the apartment.

Flower growers V. Kalinin and T. Shepeleva practice growing dahlias from stepchildren in the autumn-winter period: stepchildren are removed in August-September, rooted in pots with earth on the windowsill - strong bushes grow by spring; so you can save and quickly propagate your favorite variety. In February, young dahlias may bloom with additional lighting, but if (without waiting for flowering) to gradually reduce watering, then the shoots will begin to dry out; after the shoots have dried, the pots with tubers can be removed into the corridor until spring.

Dear flower growers! If you have other proven ways to store dahlias, please share your experience with other flower growers on the pages of our website.

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Dahlia tubers should be in the ground as long as possible, they need to ripen well. They begin to dig them out after the first small frosts, which, even if the inflorescences or dahlia leaves freeze, will not touch the tubers.

You can first cut the stems (from the ground 7-10 cm), leaving the tubers for several days in the ground. The advantages of this method are that in this case the eyes (apical buds) are well marked on the tubers and in the future it will be easier to divide. The downside is that the base of the stem can begin to rot if water gets on the cut. Therefore, the cut is closed, for example, with food foil.

Dahlias must be dug very carefully so as not to damage the fragile neck of the tubers. It is best to start digging in the morning so that you can leave them to dry a little, then they will become less fragile and with further processing the chances of breaking off individual fragments will be minimal.

Dahlias are dug up as follows: first, they dig up the plant from all sides at a distance of about 30 cm from the base of the stem, then they drive the pitchfork under the entire bush and, like a lever, push a lump with tubers out of the ground.

After the lump with the tubers has dried up a little, it is necessary to remove large clods of earth, and then use a garden hose to wash off the remnants of the earth, because they contain microorganisms - the causative agents of many diseases.

How to store dahlias in winter

Now, before storing the tubers, they must be divided into separate parts (divisions). Many gardeners do this in the spring, but it's still best to do it in the fall. Until spring, they become coarser and it becomes much more difficult to cut them, although sprouted buds are better visible.

After dividing each group of tubers, it is desirable to sterilize the cutting tool. You can, for example, hold it over the fire, then cool it and start dividing again.

It is better to throw away the uterine (last year's) tuber, although many flower growers use it for spring cuttings and only then throw it away.

When dividing dahlias, it is necessary to examine them well for diseases. If the inside of the neck of the dahlia has rusty spots, you need to cut them out completely. Tubers often have holes from insect bites, but if they are not discolored, then they can also be stored.

The divided tubers should be hosed again to make sure they are light in color on the inside, with no brown spots. It's like a potato - any brown area indicates spoilage. Such planting material will not last until spring.

Next, the root tubers of dahlias should be treated with fungicides. Suitable for any systemic action, or sulfur. Then there are two options: either simply powder the tips of the tubers with the drug, or dilute it in water and completely dip them into the solution. You can also add a systemic insecticide to the fungicide solution.

By the way, tubers that did not drown when immersed in the solution, but remained floating on the surface, are not suitable for storage.

After "wet" processing, they must be dried for about a day, maybe a little more, depending on weather conditions. Do not dry them on concrete surfaces, as they strongly absorb moisture and the tubers may shrivel.

you can designate a dahlia variety like this, directly with a marker

Now you can lay dahlia tubers for storage for the winter. Mandatory condition: the air temperature in the storage should be from +3 to +8°С.

Where to store dahlias

Often flower tubers are stored in plastic bags filled with vermiculite. This method has one drawback: vermiculite perfectly retains moisture, and if the storage temperature rises, this can provoke early germination of planting material.

A good way to store in the sand, but sprouts and suction roots appear even earlier than in the first case.

For storing dahlias, such a filler as perlite is well suited, but its dust getting into the respiratory tract makes it difficult to breathe.

Experienced gardeners successfully use sawdust (not small), in which the tubers are perfectly preserved until spring. The filler is poured into the container (bag, box, box), then the tubers are laid in an even layer, then the filler again, and so on, like a layer cake. The container should be closed, but not tightly. Every month it is advisable to check how the planting material is stored, removing the rotten one, otherwise everything else may rot.

In the spring, it is necessary to transfer the dahlia tubers to a room with room temperature and add quite a bit of water to the container with them, literally a couple of spoons - this contributes to their early awakening.

How do you store dahlias? Do I need to dig up dahlias for the winter, do you think? What is the best way to store tubers?