Dig Up Bulbs, Dry Them For Spring

As you plant spring flowering bulbs this fall, make mental notes of where tender bulbs such as cannas, dahlias, and gladiolas are growing. They need to be dug, then tucked away for the cold months that lie ahead.

When you dig up these bulbs, do so carefully. Slide a garden fork into the ground about 1 foot from the plants, then gently lever up the soil. Avoid bruises, which could turn to mold in a couple of months.

Most tender bulbs can remain in the ground until after frost blackens their tops. Once this happens, dig up cannas and caladiums, brush off the soil, and let them air-dry.

Right after frost, cut dahlia stems to within 6 inches of the ground. The stems hold water which might cause rotting, so turn them upside down when you dry them.

As you dig gladiolas, separate and save new corms; toss out the old, dead corm.

After all bulbs are thoroughly dry, pack them loosely no more than two layers deep in dry sawdust or peat in an open box and store in an unheated basement or an attached garage. The ideal storage temperature is 48-50 degrees, except for caladiums, which keep best stored at room temperature.