Digging Dahlias and Winter Storage

Glorious dahlias in pumpkin vase mixed with hydrangea, sedum and pumpkin on a stick.

 Dear Dahlias,

 How do I love thee? I couldn't possibly count the number of ways I adore you. I am intoxicated by your beauty and I mourn your absence even before the first frost comes to take you from me for another long New England winter. I love you so much that I will dig each and every one of you out of the ground so you don't rot in our bitter 7-7a garden zone. I'll put up with a stiff back and sore knees believing that for all of my efforts to tuck you away safely in storage there's a chance I'll see you again next summer. That's how much I love thee. 

Growing dahlias isn't hard. They are happy in a container or in the ground as long as they have rich, well draining soil, plenty of sunshine and lots of love. The challenging ( and most labor intensive ) part comes when it's time to dig them up at the end of the season. 

 If you garden in a cold climate you will have to dig your dahlias. There's just no way around it.

 After the first frost the leaves will wilt and turn almost black. No need to rush with the digging them just yet. Give them a couple of more weeks in the earth. Even though the flowers and foliage appear to be dead, the tuber is still growing and putting on new eyes (growth ) for next years blooms. 

I cut all of my dahlias down leaving the tops showing above ground before digging them so I'm sure to get every one. To dig I use my handy garden spade and gently poke around about a foot or so away from where the stem is to be sure not to damage the roots.

 Once they are dug, rinse them off lightly and let them dry on a surface that allows airflow like a screened table or greenhouse work bench with drainage. I used our patio table.

After they are dry, shake off any excess dirt and  remove any untidy roots ( as seen below ) and divide if necessary. Some you just pull apart gently and others you will need to cut.  If you do divide, just make sure you have a visible eye on the tuber. If you're not sure, pack it away until spring. You just might get lucky and you can divide then.

 

Now is a good time to label your tubers. You can use copper tags with wire, plastic garden markers with twisty ties, or oak leaf tags with permanent marker tied with twine.You can also write directly on the tuber with an indelible pencil or permanent marking pen.

Mine are stored in correlation with the bed they were planted in. I have a master list of the names of each variety that was planted in each bed to refer to come planting time. That's not the most organized fashion to do it, but at least I'll know generally which ones go together next season. 

This year I am storing about 75 tubers so that's not too many to keep track of and store. I'll be expanding to 100 -150 next season. I'm stocking up on Advil now!

 I decided to store them in Rubbermaid bins layered in pine shavings with the lids off and covered with a double layer of landscaping burlap fabric so there's some ventilation. I have them all tucked in for their long winters nap in our unfinished basement. Dahlias prefer to be stored in cooler temps. 35- 50 degrees. Wish us luck! 

Here are two great videos from Swan Island Dahlias on how to Dig Dahlias and Divide them.
I'd love to hear your dahlia storage tips too. Leave me a note if you've had success storing dahlias!

 

  

Field To Vase Supports American Flower Farmers

That's me! On the Field to Vase blog today!

What do you picture when you hear the phrase, " Field to Vase" ? If your vision includes beautiful flowers like the kind your grandmother grew in her garden then you are right on the money. Today's flower farmers grow in hoop-houses, greenhouses, backyards and front-yards, abandoned city lots, community plots, and good old -fashioned farmland too. I'm talking about flower farmers who grow 100% home-grown flowers for wholesale, retail, weddings, events and more. 

If you've been with me for some time now, you know I'm a budding backyard flower farmer aiming to do my small part in bringing flowers back home to American soil where they first began. Imagine how excited I was to find others who are doing the exact same thing all over the United States.

 I'm so excited to introduce you to a fantastic grass root/flower roots online community called Field to Vase. An online directory of flower farmers and farmer/florists committed to educating the public about where to find local flowers where ever you live. I learned about it through digging around online looking for flower farming communities on Facebook. 

This community was created by Christine Stembel, founder of Farmgirl Flowers. She ( and her team of talented artisan floral designers) have earned rock star status in San Francisco, Calif. with their signature burlap wrapped bouquets using flowers 100% locally sourced flowers from local flower farms in California.

 Farmgirl Flowers was also recently featured in a three page spread in the San Francisco Chronicle.

How cool is that?

Check them out on Yelp to see more fabulous flower photos and read over 600 reviews!

And, if you're thinking about starting your own backyard flower farm some day, read my article on the Field to Vase Blog, and meet more inspiring flower farmers there too. Who knows? You could be living right next door to your local flower farmer.

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop #208 and Happy Halloween!

Happy Farmgirl Friday! 

Oh, it did our hearts good to see you all last week! Thanks for comin' round to share your farmgirl talents with us again.  I confess I don't have any cute Halloween crafts or treats to share this week. We had company from Reno, Nevada last week so we were out and about sight seeing all up an down the south coast and Cape Cod enjoying fall in New England. Everywhere you go, people are saying the color hasn't been this beautiful in years and I agree.

  I had to pull over and get a quick pic of this charming little red cape all gussied up for fall. We're also in the middle of a bathroom remodel and putting the garden to bed. I've got dahlias to dig and store and a fallen down greenhouse to clear out before winter comes. Life is GOOD!

Debbie's been busy canning of all things, right in the middle of her kitchen remodel. Now, that's some serious farmgirl'n! As the old saying goes, " where there's a determined farmgirl, it shall be done ". Okay, maybe it's not an old saying, but it's true!

 Speaking of determined and talented farmgirls, it's time to renew my subscription to MaryJanesFarm Magazine. Yes, this IS a shameless plug for my favorite magazine in the whole world. It just gets better with every issue... and that's a lot of issues. 15 years and counting of farmgirl inspiration! 

I couldn't pick a favorite from last weeks hop. I loved each and every entry. So many hit home and inspired me to get moving. I need to make marinara sauce, I cleaned my closet yesterday, ( not photo worthy, but clean), I'm still decorating for fall, and I'm always looking for new homesteading and decorating ideas. Thanks for covering all the bases, once again! 

Let's hop farmgirls! 

Now, where did I put my witches hat?