Many flower lovers have, at one time or another, gone through a great deal of expense to beautify their gardens with the best dahlias and cannas money can buy.
And small wonder, for these flowers, are indeed beautiful, and they come in a size and color to suit almost everyone’s taste.
But without proper winter curing and storage of dahlias and cannas, one cannot possibly hope to enjoy their dazzling beauty season after season.
Purchasing Dahlias or Cannas
When purchasing dahlias or cannas, most prospective growers are told merely to dig up the root clumps in the fall and store them in the basement until the following spring.
From this unsound advice, the buyers conclude that all they need to do is take up the tubers in the fall, place them in an open basket, and shove them out of the way until spring.
When spring planting time arrives, they hurry out to replant the clumps, expecting another summer of profuse blooms. Is it any wonder that they are sadly disappointed at blooming time?
The preservation of cannas and dahlias cannot be summed up in one brief sentence. The procedure is too complicated for that, and unless closely followed, the tubers will either shrivel up and bloom poorly the next season or simply rot away completely.
Digging, Cutting, Dividing, and Storing Methods For Dahlias
Each large dahlia tuber planted in spring will be six to eight medium-sized ones in fall. By the second year, there will be enough tubers to plant an entire bed and, perhaps, a few left over to give to friends.
But to ensure maximum summer bloom, special care must be given to digging, cutting, and storing these tubers.
Because dahlia tubers are sensitive to cold, they must be removed from the ground before they freeze.
Immediately after the first heavy frost blackens the leaves, cut off each dahlia plant 12” inches above the ground. Leave the dahlias in the ground for a full week to give the tubers time to ripen thoroughly.
When digging, use a sturdy garden fork to lift each clump from the ground. Since dahlia tubers grow out from the stalk in all directions, like so many fingers, special care should be taken to avoid damaging them with the fork tines.
At least 8” inches from the stalk, insert the fork to a depth of 6” inches, then press down firmly on the handle.
Do this on all four sides of the clump until it loosens. Then, slip the fork beneath the clump and lift it out intact.
If it is stubborn, shake it slightly until it becomes free. However, handle it gently so as not to break off any of the thin-necked tubers.
Turn the clumps upside down and let them dry for several hours or until the soil can be shaken off.
With a sharp pocket knife, cut each potato-like tuber from the main stem, including a small portion of the stem with each one. It is on this narrow neck or bit of stem that the new bud will form.
Some growers prefer to divide the clumps in spring, but this procedure is not advised, for the tubers might break off during storage and thereby become useless. Also, it is much easier to cut the tubers cleanly when they are fresh and crisp.
Some gardeners might wonder why they can’t plant the entire clump in spring and let it go at that. If the tubers are not divided before planting, the flowers will be smaller and fewer, and the stalks will be more numerous.
Also, since all dahlia plants must be thinned out to leave just one sturdy stalk, the sprouts from the other six or eight tubers are wasted.
If you have several different colors or varieties of dahlias, you may want to keep them separate. Immediately after dividing, tag each tuber with its name or color and store each type in a separate tray. This will be a great help later.
Curing Varieties of Dahlias
After dividing the clumps, spread out the tubers in a warm attic or garage where they can be cured properly at 80° to 85° degrees Fahrenheit for three weeks.
Never pile the tubers, for they will rot quickly. Sprinkle them often to keep them from shriveling.
Turn the tubers frequently during this curing process. During this time, the tuber skins harden, and the wounds heal.
When sufficiently cured, pack the tubers loosely in paper cartons, separating each layer with a mixture of one part fine sand and two parts dry peat moss. Or, if you prefer, wrap each tuber with paper and pack loosely in open trays.
Store in a dry place where the temperature will remain around 50° degrees Fahrenheit. Keep cartons or trays covered.
Then, when spring arrives, plant the tubers; if you have followed carefully these suggestions on digging, cutting, curing, and storing, your dahlias will bloom abundantly.
Cannas and Dahlias in Winter Storage
Cannas and dahlias are similar in that both are sensitive to cold. After the broad leaves of the canna plants have been killed by heavy frost, cut off the stalks at ground level.
Allow the roots to ripen for a week before digging them up.
Most cannas have monstrous root systems and are rather difficult to dig up. Use plenty of force on the fork handle, but do not break the clump in half.
Curing Cannas
Turn the clumps upside down to dry and later shake the soil off. Canna roots are usually interwoven loosely; thus, they can be taken apart easily.
They can be divided in fall or spring with equally good results, but fall dividing permits better and easier curing and storage.
Cut the roots apart, leaving each one as large as possible and with at least three eyes. That is sufficient if one clump is divided into only three or four parts.
Immediately after dividing the clump, move the roots to a warm attic where they can be cured at 80° to 85° degrees Fahrenheit for three weeks.
Space them so that warm air can circulate them freely. Turn the roots often during curing and sprinkle them with water at least twice a week.
Store the roots in a carton, covering each layer with dry peat moss, and place them near a chimney or on shelves beside a furnace.
Planting Cannas in Spring
In spring, plant the roots, allowing three stalks to develop on each plant. Many who grow cannas on a large scale prefer to start the tubers in cold frames.
After sprouting, the roots are taken up and cut into sections, each having two sprouts.
But this extra labor is unnecessary when cannas are grown on a small scale. The tubers will produce just as many blooms if planted outdoors.
If you make a little effort now to preserve your dahlias and cannas until next spring, you will be repaid by a summer of prize-winning blooms.
44659 by Betty Brinhart