dahlias-do they need to be lifted?

was again watching a re-run of some garden programme and saw some dahlias. I always thought they were not very nice but must admit the ones on the programme looked quite nice and seemed to have quite a late flowering session so maybe I shall look at these again. The only thing was that alan titchmarsh recommended that after flowering they should be dug up and put somewhere frost free but light. Does this have to be done (bearing in mind I have clay soil in the midlands)? as I just havent got anywhere to put them as I havent got a greenhouse or coldframe?

 

Hi LG,other's around your area may disagree with my views but i would say, because you live on an area with clay, the soil will hold loads of water, and in the winter time, freeze, the tubers will rot, myself i would grow them in pots, so you can place them on there sides when the have been cut down,after the first frost, allowing the moisture to escape, then placed into a shed, outhouse,a frost free area, over winter, an advantage to growing them in pots to the ground, you can bring them into a warm area in february, to start them to grow and make more cuttings,and move them around your garden to fill in empty areas giving you more plants,flowers, a better display,
hope this helps
windy

 

thanks both. my garden gets a big soggy but after reading a bit elsewhere it seems that they dont have to be potted up just put in a box with sand and i could probably keep them in my shed if this is the case. I always thought dahlias were horrible big pom pom things which I hate but have been having a look at some of them and they are not like that at all.

 

I have just started growing Dahlias and am convinced of their merits. For one, they flower for a long period of time. I do agree about your big pom pom comment, as you think of them as show flowers. But there are some smaller and more subtle plants for the border.

My understanding is that you do have to lift and store them overwinter even in Devon, where my sister grows them. But you only have to keep them frost free. Could be in a box under a pile of sacks in a shed.

 

I don't lift mine, but my soil where they grow is really free draining, I do however put a thick mulch on them each winter.

 

I'm no expert and I dont grow them but they were my Dad's favourite and he had masses of them planted in the garden. He didnt lift them at all and had superb displays year after year.

I quite like the flowers, maybe because they remind me of my Dad but I wont grow any because my most prevalent memory of them is that they were always full of earwigs :::shudder:::

 

Hey... if it keeps the earwigs away from my veggies, i am not complaining.

 

Hi I have never grown them before but I intend to this year. Take a look at you tube it amazing