Winter care
The big question with dahlias is whether you should lift the tubers and store them indoors over winter to protect them from frosts, or you can leave them in the ground.
■ This depends on where you live. in colder areas, you should lift them as the first frosts approach – usually mid-november.
■ Dig them up and trim any long stems back to around 7cm.
■ Keep them in dry compost in a shed.
■ In warmer parts of the Uk, leave them in situ, but make sure you cover them with a pile of compost or mulch for insulation.
■ In spring, uncover and gently pull apart the tubers to create new plants and ensure existing ones will flower well.
■ Do the same for ones kept in the ground every couple of years, and be warned – in extreme winters you may lose them.