Hardware Cloth Guides

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Dahlia clumps do not survive frozen soil in cold regions, so they come up each fall. The thin necks that join each tuber to the crown snap easily, and a fork treats them more gently than a shovel blade. How do you dig up dahlia tubers with a spading fork? Wait until frost kills the tops, then cut the stems just before you dig. Loosen the soil on all sides several inches out from the crown, and lift the whole clump gently. Wash off the soil, dry the clump out of direct sun, and store it cool but above freezing. University of New Hampshire Extension's dahlia digging article says to dig after the top growth dies back or is killed by the first hard frost. It warns that the tuber neck is delicate and easily damaged while digging. University of Wisconsin Extension's tender bulb storage article says a digging fork is less likely than a sh...