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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Don’t Be A Dim Bulb: Start Digging

Phyllis Stephens Staff writer

While some members of the garden family are still decked out in their finest, many have bowed to Jack Frost. The once-glorious dahlia flowers now hang limp over blackened leaves. Withered begonia flowers can be found stranded atop leafless stems. Even the glads, which only a week ago showed promise of blooming, have succumbed to the cold. Fall, that iffy season somewhere between September and October, has passed. Winter has announced itself.

If you haven’t dug the tender summer bulbs - dahlias, gladiolus, cannas, callas and begonias - then this chore had best be first on the priority list. These bulbs (which technically aren’t really bulbs) are not hardy enough to overwinter in our area. Therefore, they must be dug in the fall and stored through the winter to be planted again next spring.

Dahlia tubers should be allowed to harden-in a bit before digging. This toughens the outer skin so moisture doesn’t escape quite as easily in storage. It also allows tiny new eyes or buds to develop. Usually, once the leaves turn black or when they’ve stopped flowering, the stalks are cut back to within six inches of the ground and the tubers are left to rest for about ten days. This recent cold snap though, has put a sudden end to this year’s hardening-off period. I am digging all the summer bulbs now.

It’s always such a treat to dig the dahlias. It’s like a treasure hunt. Underground, attached and encircling the stem of the dahlia, are tubers - the original one we planted last spring plus a handful of others.

This is an excellent time to divide the tubers. Remember, it only takes one tuber to create a bouquet of gorgeous flowers. After you wash the soil from the clump of tubers, use a sharp knife or shears to separate each tuber from the stem. This is where it gets a bit tricky, because every tuber must have an eye or bud. The eye of the tuber is where the tuber connects to the stem. If you can’t spot the eye, it may not be developed yet. To be on the safe side, always leave a portion of the stem connected to each tuber. No matter how healthy the tuber may appear, if it doesn’t have an eye, it won’t grow. This dividing task can also be handled in the spring. It’s a little more difficult at that time because the area where the tuber and the stem connects becomes very hard. Cutting them apart may require a chisel.

Once the tubers have been separated, it’s time to store them. This is the do-or-die part. Dahlia tubers need to stay plump. However, they tend to shrivel up or rot. Our challenge is to keep them from doing either.

There are more methods for storing dahlias than there are dahlias to be stored. They’ve been dipped in paraffin wax or a product named Wilt-Proof to keep them from shriveling. They’ve been stuffed in old ice chests, Styrofoam coolers and refrigerators. They’ve even had insulated storage units built just for them. They’ve been stored in sawdust, shavings, vermiculite or peat moss. They’ve been rolled in newspapers or placed in Baggies.

This is how I save mine: I begin by dipping each tuber in Wilt-Proof (a liquid material that keeps plants from losing moisture). Then I lay them on a bed of vermiculite in flat, shallow boxes. I dampen the tubers and the vermiculite with a bit of water and finish by covering them with more vermiculite. They are then stored away in a cool room until spring. During the storage period, I check them occasionally to make sure they aren’t shriveling. If they are, I give them a light spritzing. Never too much water, I don’t want them to rot.

Dahlias may seem like a pain in the neck to save, but they are worth the effort. Each year these persnickety tubers reward us with glorious flowers and the promise of reproducing themselves over and over.

Hopefully the begonias, cannas, callas and glads have all been dug. If not, you may need a pick and shovel and heavy gloves. Next week we’ll look at methods for storing them.

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