Storing Dahlia tubers

[tacatcon]

Anyone have any experience with this? In our new home there are some beautiful dahlias the previous owners planted and I know that I have to dig up the tubers (just learned that term today-thought they had bulbs! lol) and store as we are in New England.

I am just wondering if I store them in our attic if they'll be ok. We have a completely finished basement so the only place I could keep them down there is where the water heater, oil tank and furnace are in a little sectioned off room and I don't think that's the best place.

any tips from your experience on the digging or storing?

TIA

[Nannie]

I'm in New England and have been gardening for years and still have trouble over wintering dahlias. One winter they do fine the next they just dry up. I've read numerous articles about this and most say to put them in some sort of peat mixture for the winter and a few others say just to pot them in some dirt and give them a bit of water here and there during the winter.

My success with them was leaving the tubers in some dirt that they were in and putting them in a paper shopping bag in my cool dry basement. Every time I tried the peat or sawdust they just dried up.

My suggestion is to google dahlias and read different articles and peoples responses and hope for the best with which ever way you choose to do them. They should be fine in the attic as long as it's not to warm. Beside the furnace and water heater would be a disaster in the making. Good Luck.

[chitownmelli]

Maybe ask Kristy, she's a wiz in the garden.