Digging dahlias is both an art and a science, requiring patience, care, and—if you're like me—a touch of madness to tackle 9,000 of them! By following these step-by-step instructions, you can save your tubers and set yourself up for a successful season next year!
Step 1: Cut Back Stalks
We cut back the stems to about 6 inches above the ground. I leave this much because what remains of the stalk is a nice little handle that you can use to help pull them out of the ground. We use hand pruners (the ARS brand red-handled ones) and pull down through the netting. Cutting the stalks will actually make the digging process easier as you will not have to wrestle unwieldly stems that may smack you in the head. We remove all stalk and foliage debris and compost at the back of our property. Below you can see a comparison of a row that has been chopped down VS one that is next on the chopping block.
Step 2: Dueling Forks
Using a garden fork, gently loosen the soil around each dahlia plant. If I am lucky enough to rope someone into helping dig, I work across from my partner. We each push the fork into the ground a safe distance—about 6–8 inches—from the plant’s stem and push the fork into the ground. We lever the tuber clump out of the ground and then move on the next going up and down the row (I have 276 per row, so it takes a few minutes to do this). Occasionally, a tuber will get nicked or receive a puncture. This is normal and many times, those tubers are still fine with a bit of trimming. These are ones I will keep and plant here on the farm. Check out this IG post to see this in action!
Step 3: Lift the Tubers
Now it's time to lift the tubers out of the ground. If you have clay like I do, the clumps are likely going to be heavy. Some are so heavy, I slide the fork under the clump to lever out of the ground. Others, I will grab the stem with one hand and the bottom of the clump with the other and lift out. If you have the gift of great soil, lucky you! This will be way easier for you. Take your time lifting. Some varieties have long tubers, chonky tubers, or fragile necks; as you lift the varieties, you will get to know which ones need a little extra care when pulling out of the ground. We set the tubers on top of the soil to dry a bit.
Step 4: Bump Excess Soil
I used to be a lot more careful when removing excess soil. Now, after they've dried a bit, I have found it MUCH easier to simply tap the top of the stem with a rubber mallet (or fist) to bump off clumps of soil. It's magic! I do leave a light layer of soil that helps lock in moisture before we wash and divide. The coating of soil is helpful in reducing desiccation. If you are not planning on dividing right away or at all, err on the side of caution and leave a little more soil on the clumps.
Step 5: Crate Up
We label each crate with flagging tape and a Garden Marker. Do not use a sharpie which will fade or if it gets wet will be erased. We also put a label at the bottom of the crate. We turn the tuber clumps upside down and stack them in bulb crates. Turning upside down allows any excess moisture in the stem to drain out, not down into the crown.
If I can manage 9,000, trust me—you’ve got this!
In The Next Blog:
Dividing and Storing Your Dahlia Tubers