Dahlias can bloom spectacularly right into fall, which makes it painful to watch freezing weather turn a thriving plant black almost overnight. The flowers may be finished, but the valuable part of the plant is still underground: the cluster of tubers capable of producing next year’s plants. In colder climates, those fleshy tubers generally can’t survive frozen ground, so gardeners who want to keep favorite varieties need to dig them up and bring them inside. Learning how to store dahlia tubers can also save money because you aren’t replacing the same plants every spring. The process isn’t difficult, but timing, careful digging, and the right storage conditions can make the difference between healthy tubers and a box of shriveled or rotten ones.
