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Depending on where you live a little frost is not a big deal. Living on the California Central Coast I don’t ever dig up my dahlias I cut them back after they have died down and compost my bed with rich organic compost. Then I add a layer of mulch to keep the moister in and the freezing to a minimum. The first frost of the year you will notice that all of the foliage is dead. I clean that up by cutting or pulling the stems off the tubers.

One great aspect of not digging up your dahlias is that the tubers grow big and multiply. Then you can always separate them out for more plants or to share with gardening friends. I have found that the Dahlia plant gets bigger and taller in the growing season, summer. You will find that you get a lot more blossoms and longer stems.

If you live in snow country dig up your dahlias a frost will turn them into mush and it is yucky. I lived in Bend OR and I would keep my dahlias in black planters so that I could bring them in easily. It can be frustrating and time consuming to dig up all of your dahlias. A friend of mine she always puts them in painted plastic containers so they look pretty and are decorative.

Remember snails, slugs, and mildew love dahlias… see related future articles on the battle between me and the mildew.