Your tubers have dried overnight and it’s time to get cracking.

To Divide Dahlia Tubers

Good sharp tools here are a must. Here is my workstation:

When the clump is huge, I’ll use the oscillating power tool to saw off the stem and to cut the clump in half. Any lingering lumps of dirt are now visible and I brush them off with the nail brush.

Then I get in there with the Red and White Zenport Dahlia snips and cut off the old man hairs — the roots — and other clutter. One could just go straight to storage now, and divide the tubers in the spring. The advantage of fall division is two-fold: a) it’s easier to see the eyes and b) I don’t have to dread doing it all later if I do it all in one fall swoop.

First you want to identify the eyes on the tubers. These are going to look like little white bumps and they are much easier to spot now than they will be in the spring. The goal is to cut each tuber or group of tubers such that they retain their eyes and the neck. You know how the top of a glass pop bottle swells out a bit? That part is essential, without it you will have no shoots.

So I pick up my beloved Red and White Tuber snips and use them to cut the tubers apart, making sure each part retains the neck and some connection to the stem, and some eyes.

From there, I dip any cut part of the tuber in cinnamon which acts as an anti-microbial.

To Store Dahlia Tubers

So off to storage now. I am trying something different this year: the Bloomquist method of dahlia tuber storage. The tubers go into plastic grocery bags and to which we added an equal measure of cedar shavings.

We don’t tie up the bags, this is important. We attach the variety’s name tag to the bag with our clothespin and line the bags up in the bins. I alphabetize them at this point. Of course I do.

The bins then get stacked in a basement or outbuilding that will be cool, but won’t freeze. Below 50 and above 32. They also need to be dry, but not parched, so 75-85% humidity is ideal. More details on how to achieve this are forthcoming.

Check in later for Tips and Tools on Overwintering Dahlia Tubers in Storage