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...

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Peony foliage looks tired by October, often spotted with brown blotches. Those leaves and stems carry the fungus that blights next spring's shoots and buds, so the fall cutback is a disease job as much as a tidy-up. When and how far should you cut back peonies in fall? Cut herbaceous peonies back after a hard freeze has killed the foliage, usually late October or early November. Cut every stem at or near ground level, then rake up and remove the leaves and debris underneath. Do not compost it if the plants had leaf disease. Iowa State University Extension's peony foliage FAQ says to cut back after a hard freeze , generally late October or early November in Iowa. It says plants cut back in August or early September may have fewer blooms. Ohio State University's Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine article on peony cleanup says to cu...