Should I pull out my dahlia bulbs in the winter?

I live in the San Francisco Bay area.

Should I pull out my dahlia bulbs in the winter?
Dig and store Dahlia bulbs if that has not been done.





When the foliage has turned yellow or brown on your tender bulbs, and before first frost, you will need to protect or dig them up and store them for the winter.





A blanket of mulch should protect tender bulbs through winter in the Southern coastal regions, the Soutwest or coastal areas of California. In other areas of the U.S. these tender bulbs should be dug up and replanted after the danger of frost has passed:





Cut tall stems back to a few inches so you can work with the base of the stem.








Using a digging fork for large clumps, or a hand trowel for small bulbs, loosen the soil around the plant so you can easily lift the bulb.








Shake excess soil from the roots and spread the bulbs on newspaper to dry in a cool, shady place out of the reach of animals.








Once the bulbs have dried for a few days, you can store them in a perforated paper or mesh bag, or in a box with damp peat moss to keep them moist. Experiment with which storage method is best for you.








Store the packaged bulbs in a dark, cool and dry place that maintains a temperature of 50 to 60° F. A basement, cupboard, crawl space or an attached garage may be appropriate.








During storage, check the bulbs every month. Discard
Reply:Many gardeners enjoy storing dahlia bulbs for next season's enjoyment. Tubers can simply be layered in crates or cardboard boxes with newspaper in between the layers. A storage medium such as lightly dampened peat moss, sand, or pet bedding is ideal for dahlia care. A cool, dry area is best for winter storage. You can learn more about preserving your tubers at www.Dahlias.com.

domain name registration