Tuck dahlias away safely

Protect next year’s summer showstoppers ....

dahlias are unlikely to survive in beds and borders over the winter, so it’s well worth digging them up and storing them. Once the first frosts have blackened their stems, cut them down to around 15cm from the ground, then dig up and wash the tubers. Leave them, stems facing down in the shed or anywhere cool and dry. When the tubers are dry (give them a couple of weeks), pop them in boxes of dry compost, just covering the tubers. Leave them in a greenhouse or somewhere cool and light. in early spring, start watering them, then pot them on and plant them out in May or June.