The big lift...

A question I get asked more than any other is whether to lift dahlias. I always say that if it's easier for you, then do leave them in. Just provide a bit of protection and try and stop them getting too waterlogged or frozen - they hate both! The other danger, in the spring, is slug damage. People often say they don't shoot, when the reality is that they have, but slugs have nibbled off shoots before they emerge. I also add that I always lift all of mine - mainly because I grow in 'blocks' of 6, 9, 12 or 15 plants.....for showing rather than garden border displays. These tubers are in the process of being dried in a greenhouse, before being cleaned and trimmed for storage. They just get stacked in frost-free crates in the back of my garage. They don't need any packing. They get brought out in the spring - ready to start taking cuttings or to be replanted.