Someone’s taking the Season 5 of Stranger Things a bit too far
chetaoruchaya on
Cut back
ofmiceandmel on
If they’re dahlias you’ll need to cut them back and either lift and store them somewhere or put a thick layer of mulch over them to protect the tubers from frost.
LordMattOfSpace on
Probably cut back now, leaving a little stub of stem about 2cm above soil level. This foliage looks fairly dead, so the plant will have already withdrawn many of the nutrients they contained back into storage in it’s tubers.
Dahlias have hollow stems, so if cut back to exactly ground level, water can run into the stem and cause rot. The stems are also fairly sturdy, so these won’t die back as inconspicuously as, say, crocuses do, and will instead just stand there for as long as they’re left. They might be blown about by strong winds, but in my experience they tend to just remain in place, looking like a mess and obstructing next year’s growth.
Also, you may already know this, but dahlias are often lifted out of the ground and stored indoors over winter. The stems are cut back to the tubers, which can then be left in a cool, dry, dark place, until being planted back out after the last frost. If they’re planted in soil that’s been treated nicely, the soil fertility should make up for nutrients lost in the removed foliage.
That being said, they’re usually lifted because UK winter conditions have historically been colder and wetter than they’ve evolved to tolerate, which causes them to rot and die. However, if you’ve got them planted in a place that drains well enough and stays quite warm, they could be fine. Changes to our climate are making it possible to grow things in ways we haven’t been able to in the past.
As I say, though, you might already know this – judging by the number of deadheads on these dahlias, they flowered quite a lot this year and were quite happy, so I’m guessing you know how to treat them well!
MuddyBoots472 on
Yes, cut off the top growth now and either lift the tubers and store over winter (advanced gardening skill, fails 80% of the time) or leave them in and hope they come back. Putting some mulch or compost over the crown (the bit you’ve just cut down) might help protect it a bit against cold but dahlias do what they want so don’t stress!
OutlandishnessHour19 on
It’s a habitat for important bugs over winter. Leave it until spring
Similar_Recover9832 on
I’m in the same dilemma! You have lots of closed buds there, and (me too) despite frost, it might be worth cutting them and putting them in water indoors, as seeds may be developing in there, and you might get some really funky new varieties if you plant them next year. Nothing ventured… Dahlias are octoploid, and so the genetic diversity of ‘wild pollinated’ (or deliberately pollinated) seeds is potentially massive!
Anyway, as these dahlias appear to have been frosted (blackened leaves, like mine) I read that you should leave them in the ground for another week or two, to allow the goodness in the leaves to be drawn back down into the tubers, before cutting the stems with a good few inches above the ground, digging them up, washing and putting them to bed for the winter (I’m going to use a mix of coarse vermiculite and wood shavings).
Disclaimer: I left my dahlias in the ground and mulched them a few years ago and they all did well, coming back the next year. I tried this again (less mulch? Colder/ wetter winter?) and they all died. I am no expert, but will be digging them in future! And potentially dividing them in spring when the eyes are obvious.
Good luck!
J-Mc1 on
Cut back to just above the ground. Now they’re blackened by frost there’s no real benefit to leaving them standing, and they don’t look attractive in this state.
trailoftears123 on
Time to cut them down,then dig up and
Shake the excess soil off.Store upside down on the stumps until pretty dry.Then they can be stored in straw-filled boxes in the garage.
Or,pop them in a trench in the G.house border.
Appropriate-Divide64 on
I’ve always just left mine and they seem to come back stronger each year. They came with the house.
gardensandwatches on
Cut back and dig up the tubers and store in a dry, cool place, in compost or straw will be fine.
KitWith1Tea on
Check out this week’s Gardeners World. Lots on looking after Dahlia Tubers for winter.
Edible-flowers on
I’ve left mine to it. Though I did mulch with screwed up newspaper wedged into the pot around the base of the plant. It doesn’t look great after 2 frosts. However, if it dies, so be it. I can’t be doing with fussy plants.
MY_WANDERER on
Save the seeds!
Cooking_With_Grease_ on
they’re fucked mate, just cut back and worry about it in the spring.
SpitePleasant8951 on
Looks like it’s had a proper frost hit. I’d trim it back now so it can rest cleanly over winter.
whoatemycatfish on
Leave it – it fixes lots of insects and other things a nice home for the winter, and the birds will love foraging it
17 Comments
Someone’s taking the Season 5 of Stranger Things a bit too far
Cut back
If they’re dahlias you’ll need to cut them back and either lift and store them somewhere or put a thick layer of mulch over them to protect the tubers from frost.
Probably cut back now, leaving a little stub of stem about 2cm above soil level. This foliage looks fairly dead, so the plant will have already withdrawn many of the nutrients they contained back into storage in it’s tubers.
Dahlias have hollow stems, so if cut back to exactly ground level, water can run into the stem and cause rot. The stems are also fairly sturdy, so these won’t die back as inconspicuously as, say, crocuses do, and will instead just stand there for as long as they’re left. They might be blown about by strong winds, but in my experience they tend to just remain in place, looking like a mess and obstructing next year’s growth.
Also, you may already know this, but dahlias are often lifted out of the ground and stored indoors over winter. The stems are cut back to the tubers, which can then be left in a cool, dry, dark place, until being planted back out after the last frost. If they’re planted in soil that’s been treated nicely, the soil fertility should make up for nutrients lost in the removed foliage.
That being said, they’re usually lifted because UK winter conditions have historically been colder and wetter than they’ve evolved to tolerate, which causes them to rot and die. However, if you’ve got them planted in a place that drains well enough and stays quite warm, they could be fine. Changes to our climate are making it possible to grow things in ways we haven’t been able to in the past.
As I say, though, you might already know this – judging by the number of deadheads on these dahlias, they flowered quite a lot this year and were quite happy, so I’m guessing you know how to treat them well!
Yes, cut off the top growth now and either lift the tubers and store over winter (advanced gardening skill, fails 80% of the time) or leave them in and hope they come back. Putting some mulch or compost over the crown (the bit you’ve just cut down) might help protect it a bit against cold but dahlias do what they want so don’t stress!
It’s a habitat for important bugs over winter. Leave it until spring
I’m in the same dilemma! You have lots of closed buds there, and (me too) despite frost, it might be worth cutting them and putting them in water indoors, as seeds may be developing in there, and you might get some really funky new varieties if you plant them next year. Nothing ventured… Dahlias are octoploid, and so the genetic diversity of ‘wild pollinated’ (or deliberately pollinated) seeds is potentially massive!
Anyway, as these dahlias appear to have been frosted (blackened leaves, like mine) I read that you should leave them in the ground for another week or two, to allow the goodness in the leaves to be drawn back down into the tubers, before cutting the stems with a good few inches above the ground, digging them up, washing and putting them to bed for the winter (I’m going to use a mix of coarse vermiculite and wood shavings).
Disclaimer: I left my dahlias in the ground and mulched them a few years ago and they all did well, coming back the next year. I tried this again (less mulch? Colder/ wetter winter?) and they all died. I am no expert, but will be digging them in future! And potentially dividing them in spring when the eyes are obvious.
Good luck!
Cut back to just above the ground. Now they’re blackened by frost there’s no real benefit to leaving them standing, and they don’t look attractive in this state.
Time to cut them down,then dig up and
Shake the excess soil off.Store upside down on the stumps until pretty dry.Then they can be stored in straw-filled boxes in the garage.
Or,pop them in a trench in the G.house border.
I’ve always just left mine and they seem to come back stronger each year. They came with the house.
Cut back and dig up the tubers and store in a dry, cool place, in compost or straw will be fine.
Check out this week’s Gardeners World. Lots on looking after Dahlia Tubers for winter.
I’ve left mine to it. Though I did mulch with screwed up newspaper wedged into the pot around the base of the plant. It doesn’t look great after 2 frosts. However, if it dies, so be it. I can’t be doing with fussy plants.
Save the seeds!
they’re fucked mate, just cut back and worry about it in the spring.
Looks like it’s had a proper frost hit. I’d trim it back now so it can rest cleanly over winter.
Leave it – it fixes lots of insects and other things a nice home for the winter, and the birds will love foraging it