Interesting-- because you have quite heavy soil I think?

Thank you!

Much good luck in continuing with your passion. It has kept me strong and vibrant into my 79th year.

What zone ??

@@georgecopen1490 I live in the south east of England- this year I’ve got 6 dahlia plants that I left in over winter all coming up - still growing their leaves but flowers should be soon.

Hope it goes well. Steven (and I) have found that we do occasionally lose a few dahlias, but compared to the faff of digging them up every year, I don't mind that.

I'd test your zone with leaving only one type to test the first winter. Good luck.

Bp37625 e827619 that's so kind of you to say so - I sometimes feel rather self-conscious about my voice so that's encouraging - thank you

I concur. 👍🌻🌻🌺🌺❤️

I second that! 😊

Ruby Gray that's really kind of you to say so - it doesn't seem like that to me!

I could also listen to her voice all day!

@@kassiscc1 isn't her voice fascinatingly perfect. 💕💕

@Ruby...I agree, I'm in love💕

So true! It's very comforting. Could be a very good story reader.

If they survived last year, there's a good chance they'll survive this year, especially covered in a layer of mulch. So I hope it goes well.

I might try a bit of trampling, I know alot of people fold their canna leaves over to protect the roots, so it makes sense for dahlias.

Yes, I think it gets much more variable below 9 and absolutely impossible below 8.

I've generally found that if dahlias are happy in your soil then they do come back bigger and better, although after about three years, it's a good idea to dig them up and divide them before they run too wild. I don't think they'll worry about anything the cat does, if you've got lots of mulch on top they should be fine. It's worth putting a marker in, such as a bamboo cane, so you don't forget where it is and accidently plant something there before it comes up again in late spring, and that should discourage the cat.

Thank you so much. And just try leaving dahlias in over winter, piled high with compost. You may well lose them, but as you say, they don't come back when you dig them up, and it's much easier. I occasionally get comments from Zone 5 who have succeeded, but I suspect they have dry weather, which is the other factor.

I’m in zone 5, our ground freezes and we get a lot of snow, I dig mine up, but interesting video ❤️👍🏼

I’m in mountains of Central Oregon Zone 5 and I wintered over Dahlias with lots of mulch. I even had Ranuculus come back in some raised beds that were heavily mulched with compost and wood chips. When plants popped up in spring I did have to cover them on nights that froze. It is dry here, occasionally snows and soil is sandy loam. Hope that helps!

I’m in zone 6b. I dug last year lost half of them anyway. Decided to leave in the ground this year. I bought 45 bags of steer manure for my 45 dahlias. I am going to cut open the bottom of the bag and turn it upside down on the trimmed plant leaving the plastic bag intact to keep the wind from blowing off the manure.This will also mark where the Dahlia is. I’m hoping the heat from the composting steer manure will keep the dahlias from dying. What do I have to lose I lost half of them last year anyway

Thank you!

I think it's worth trying - Zone 6a is marginal and they may not survive, but I do get occasional comments from Zone 5 gardeners who have succeeded. I think a lot depends on how wet your soil is, and if your area is fairly dry, dahlia may well survive.

Our summers are not as hot as a USDA Zone 9, but our winters are very mild, like an 8 or a 9, and it's the winter temperature which is how you measure the Zones, because it's about which plants will survive the winter. That's why it seems so odd to talk about the UK as approximately a USDA zone 8 or 9!

Thank you so much. Don't store dahlias in the house as they need to be somewhere cool and dark. Depending on your climate, give leaving them in the soil over winter a chance. If it doesn't work, you'll have to buy new dahlias, but if it does, it'll save you time.

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden thank you I already decided to do that, per your video. I purchased the compost as you suggested and piled it on, then mulch. I agree if it doesn't work I'll get new bulbs. We are in Georgia in the states zone 7-8 similar as yours. We'll see what happens, thanks!! 👍🏽

You are so welcome!

I tried Dahlias for the first time last year . After watching gardening programmes and some excellent You Tube videos I raised my tubers indoors in trays of shallow compost .. When the ' babies' were about 4 -6 inches high .. I cut them from the main tuber and potted them . I got about 4-6 fresh plants from each tuber . When planted out .. I had about a 80% success rate .....Part of the reason I did this was to save money ... but a great hobby . Also a professional grower on Gardeners World stated that the blooms from ' harvested' plants are actually better . My Dahlia bed turned into a hedge of colour ... Left them in the ground and mulched them .. fingers crossed for the spring ! A bit disappointed that the ' Bishop' variety didn't survive .. Some of mine are ' Bishop of Llandaff ' It was this variety that made me want to start with Dahlias ......

8

How interesting!

Why, thank you!

I agree, that is getting really quite cold for dahlias.

Good to hear. Some of my dahlias wander around the garden too.

It's great to hear from you, good luck with the dahlias next year. I started with them before I grew other plants because they're so showy, a dahlia border almost always looks good even if there are the odd mistakes.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you. V envious of your spring as we slip towards autumn.

Yes, I think wet is worse than cold for dahlias. You've clearly done the right thing.

What do you cover them with?

Absolutely!

Blimey, where do you live out of interest :) 6 foot frozen, I don't fancy that! :)

Practically all of Canada,in case you are thinking of moving here....6 feet freezing is a bit of an exageration though,that is unless its where thers no snow cover ..we are"lucky" and got 4 feet this year!

I live in canada gta and got my dahlia to survive in a pot even when it was exposed to negative 30 maybe negative 40 with windchill. I put leaves all around and ontop of the pot. About 30 cm all over it in general. I then removed the leaves in spring when it started to become positive temperature so that it wouldn't get soggy and rott. It survived without the leaves even when night temps went to -5. Now I will admit the tubers were not the greatest when I checked but there is green growth right now. There were tonnes of worms in the pot because of the leaves which is excellent. The worms are also probably what helped it survive if there was any root rot the worms would eat it and reduce further rot from spreading I assume. I'll let y'all know how it blooms. I'm going to slowly make this breed winter hardy.

Agree...I'm in US zone 8 and I have two Dahlias which always survive the Winter with a good mulch....but I have grown a few others that always disintegrate in the ground even as they were grown in the same location as the others had the same amount of mulch on top of them. This will be the first year that I will dig them up and store them.... yes it's a little bit of a hassle but they are adorable.

I do occasionally lose a few, but that's usually because I failed to add the mulch to protect them.

I've left some out with no mulch and they lived for years, I didn't know when I inherited some. I live in South Wales Uk, no idea what zone that is. Since then I've learnt water is the biggest enemy of dahlias over winter, when they get really soggy they rot, and a good frost on top makes them explode in a way. Now I baby them and take them all out to over winter and to split them. But yes, they are sometimes way hardier than we realise :) I genuinely am puzzled how some of mine lived out for about 6 winters with nothing at all to cover them, I didn't even cut them back! Was clueless lol But every year up they popped, getting increasingly bigger. I think they died eventually because I remember the tubers started to rise up and stand proud, and that probably wasn't wise with our first snow in about 7 years! XD Yet they had held strong in some truly cold, frosty horrible weather.

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden they have come back into fashion in a big way, haven't they? I have planted around 20 in the past year, I love them, so do the Bees but only the open face ones

Yes, I agree, and if you do have the right climate, the right dahlia can take over the world. I had an orange one that practically took over the whole garden. So beautiful.

Good luck! You're right that they hate the wet - I've had quite a few comments from people who have really quite cold winters and leave their dahlias in successfully, but I think they all have fairly dry ones.

That's interesting - it's the first time I've heard dahlias overwintering successfully in Zone 5 but what you say makes sense.

I don’t know about that, in zone 5 this winter we had -20 F temps and many weeks in the single digits with not much sunlight. I don’t think I would chance it.

I live in zone 5a and I always dig my dahlias up. Although last winter I left some and they came back! But I think it was more of an exception, it does not happen often:)

@@Dahliaismypassion a 3 foot mound of shredded leaves helps. 5b. Im trying Anthony, method. They simply don't store well for seven months.

@@doniellestenson3502 I wish you luck! It a chore to dig them up, store, divide…

Interesting, thank you!

Thank you!

I'm glad to hear this as I have just brought a couple of dahlias in pots into the potting shed, so I hope they'll survive the winter (I'm thinking of covering them in something like horticultural fleece as the potting shed is quite chilly.)

Yes Dahlias are lovely flowers but what with the usual winter tasks having to store them by recommended method.....lifting, washing down, separating, wrapping in paper with soil is time consuming. Might be something to do with the species but lost previous tubes with this method whereas those left in pots survived. @@TheMiddlesizedGarden

Anthony London, do you water soil a bit or at all over winter?

That's amazing. People often say that plants and plants in pots near the house wall are dramatically better protected than those even a few feet further away, because a house wall absorbs sun and central heating during the day and gives it off at night.

I agree, I think if the soil isn't frozen, you might as well pop them in. They'll always be happier in the earth than in the packet anyway. Also if you are storing them, you can't keep them anywhere too warm or they'll start to sprout, and then it will be difficult. A mistake I made with my daffodils this year.

🌼 Daffodils are wonderful. So cheerful and the squirrels 🐿 don’t eat them. Yes, my indoor storage spaces are too warm. I expect the few caladium tubers I have might sprout soon and then I’ll need to decide what to do. Probably I’ll plant them and keep them as temporary houseguests. Making sure they’re out of reach of the 🐈. Happy Gardening! 🌱

Help the dahlias I was storing indoors started to sprout.... should I allow it or will they never flower by may when I can take them outside? I’m in Rhode Island USA

@@taramellow3016 From what I’ve read, you need to find a cooler place to store them. In the house, they think it’s Spring. Do you have a garage?

I'd add the compost first and then put the fleece on top only when a hard frost is forecast. The compost slowly deteriorates and feeds the soil and it can't do that so well if the fleece is in the way, although the fleeces do break up and leave little bits of plastic based fleece in the garden. Good luck with it - I think you are a little colder than we are in the winter, but it's always worth a try.

Very much so, also on your micro-climate as well as your climate ( a frost pocket in Zone 9 could be worse than a sheltered spot in Zone 8)

I hope you do too!

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden am also from the South of England, but South West now live in Los Angeles. It's a completely different sort of gardening! Not even sure of when or what to do with my roses so I am going to continue to watch your episodes :)

Ah yes, that is a problem, I think!

Take photos on your phone every couple of weeks of your borders. It's the only way I can remember where everything is.

I think 8b is very similar to our weather in southern England. Hope it works (mine has eight times out of ten, I would say). But I don't mind occasional losses as it gives me an opportunity to buy something new!

Thank you!

Our pleasure!

Ah, I think it's very unlikely although Erin from The Impatient Gardener KZfaq channel is Zone 5 and just spotted one of her dahlias that had survived the winter, very close to her house wall.

Thank you!

Yes, I agree, though there are a surprising number of comments from cooler places where the dahlias have survived, but it's also connected to how wet your winters are too.

they are!

Glad it was helpful!

Good luck. I also left gladioli in, although they did slowly disappear over a few years.

All very good points - they do get very congested if you leave them in for years on end, and yes, they do emerge a bit later. I have since wondered if I actually planted my Bishop dahlias somewhere too shady and that that's why they didn't come back, so interesting to hear that yours have self-seeded.

Thank you!

Lut Tuts I hope you enjoy them

Thank you for answerig my message. I normally write no comments. But your channel is inspiring me. I have a town garden that is very important to me. I started years ago with roses and lavender.(they were very disappointing) But with all the shade I switched to Camelia's (they flowered from december and are now in full bloom) on the North side.Al lot of structure green bushes (buxus ,taxus,euphorbia,yucca,tinus,helix...).With a lot of clematis climbing through them in summer. In this way I'm always glad to come home.Winter and summer alike. That's my idea of a garden:a nice,beautiful place to come home to . I wish you a lot of success with your channel!!

Hey, did you try this last year? How did it go?

Thank you, yes, Zone 5 a bit too chilly for dahlias over winter!

Thank you so much. It's a dahlia called Con Amore.

Thank you Alexandra, I’ ll definitely add « con amore » to my collection!

Thank you.

Can be more tricky if you have very heavy and waterlogged soil. But I hope it works!

Thank you!

I wonder how that will be in my zone 5 in Indiana...??? Im gonna try that this year thou.

Zone 5 does sound a little too cold for leaving your dahlias in, unless you have an exceptionally sheltered garden. I've been interested to hear how many Zone 7 have left them in safely, however. But great to try, let us know how it goes!

If you live somewhere where the ground is very cold, the dahlia will die if it's left in the ground. That's why people with cold winters dig up dahlias. The reason why they lift and divide them every 2-3 years is that the plant grows new roots underground, so it can get very big, but the original roots die off. So you get a very big plant with a dead part in the centre. If you dig it up, and divide it, you'll get lots of new plants for free, which will become as big as the original one day.

Good luck- you may be a bit on the cold side but they don't all survive when stored so its worth a try

Did it work for you? I'm in zone 7 too.

@@katriinabell454 i live in zone 7 in the states and it worked for me. Just try it.

I'm not sure any staking would survive a hurricane, but generally here people do their staking early in the season and either place or weave some sort of a cage over the emerging plants. You may find this post and the included video helpful. www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/make-natural-plant-supports-clippings/

Get some heavy duty posts ( I use street sign posts from work) and use netting, like a soccer goal net and hang it horizontally. Let the plant grow up through the holes. You will need to be sure the posts are stout.

I used a table saw to cut pressure treated 8 foot long 2x4's down the middle the long way, basically making them into 1x2's. I used another saw to cut an angle on one end of the stakes to make them go into the ground easier. Then I use cheap string or twine to tie the dahlias to the stakes as they get taller. They sell green poles at home depot, but you have to get the thicker, taller one in order to work, which are more expensive. I was taught to always hammer the stakes into the ground first before planting, then plant the dahlia next to the stake. If you do it after you plant, you risk damaging the tubers, or roots. I like doing it that way because I find it easier to space the dahlias out by evenly spacing out the stakes about 24 inches apart with a tape measure. Then I plant a dahlia on each side of the stake about 5 inches away. I usually plant the same color on each side because when you tie them to the stake, they will look like one plant...

Colleen, what Zone are you in? I'm 8a West Central, GA. So much rain, then unexpected freezing Temps after 85 degree days, my Dahlias from last year rotted. I'll have to take more precautions this year.

Yes, I think zone 6b is a little cold but maybe it's worth giving it a try but I think you would have to be resigned to losing the plant.

Thank you!

I will certainly try to, as I have been thinking about peonies.

Yes, absolutely - although I'm on reasonably heavy clay and my dahlias are fine, but we are in a dry area. Cold and wet would definitely affect the dahlias badly.

Good idea, I've done that, thank you.

You're welcome

That is generally considered the best method! I must brace myself as I find them rather horrible.

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I used to feel the same but once I realised their purpose I now embrace them. I like to use a head torch, some gloves and an old tub. Then they go to the compost where they can carry on transforming my food waste 😊

Yes, you are right - leaving dahlias to overwinter in the ground is generally only possible in zones 8 or 9 or warmer (which I say in both in the video and the description) - although there is one comment below from Anthony Robertson who says that they may be fine in Zone 5 if planted in a warm spot. It's all a bit trial-and-error, too, as there can be very cold spots in gardens which are technically Zone 9 and so on... thank you for commenting and for viewing from Canada!

I live in Vancouver canada.and I have over 25 dahlia plants and I never take them out for winter.they are fine you just need to cover them well.

You can leave terra cotta pots out all winter on the west coast as well !, Vancouver winters are nowhere near as brutal as they are in Ontario unfortunately. Oh how easy it was to have a fab garden when I lived in BC! So balmy compared to where we are in zone 4a...when I was first learning to garden I lost a bunch of nice varieties of tubers completely mulched, protected in a cold frame etc. But have since learned how to store my growing collection in rubbermaids (w amendments ) in a cold basement now...

The dahlias I have left in flowered well, but they flower a bit later. Also if you leave dahlias in for years (like 10 years), the flowers seem to deteriorate as the plant gets sprawly. So there are pros and cons for each, but as you say, not an option where you live!

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thank you for taking the trouble to read and reply. :-)

I wouldn't recommend using plastic bags. If you pile the mulch on quite thickly, they should be OK but if they're not, I doubt that plastic bags would have helped

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I put on mulch and a tent with 6 ml plastic to let the water run off secured with heavy rocks...is this ok?

Hope it goes well. If you have a very cold, wet winter, they may not survive, but it's always worth trying.

I'm not completely sure but I think that plants sometimes revert to one of the parent plants they were bred from. I've had the odd change in some of my dahlias, although they were in the ground, not in pots.

I'd say May, but depending where you live, it has been an unusually wet winter, and that damages dahlias more than the cold. Fingers crossed!