Last week the column was about when bulbs and corms should be dug. This week I will continue along that vein talking about dahlias.
Dahlias shouldn’t be dug until after a killing frost. The frost enables the moisture to drain from the stalk and go into the tuber.
Wait a week after frost to cut off the stalk, leaving 6 inches above ground. When you dig the tubers, hose the dirt off them and let them dry before storing for winter.
There are several ways to store dahlias. Some use a crate or cardboard box lined with 10 to 12 layers of newspaper filled with a variety of storage mediums ranging from slightly dampened peat moss to pet bedding material (sawdust / shavings). Start packing material in the bottom and layer your tubers and medium until box is full.
Check on tubers throughout winter months. The tubers can be wrapped in newspaper which you would check and moisten as needed throughout the winter.
There are those who wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a working old refrigerator above freezing. Many feel that plastic wrap could be too tight. You can use plastic grocery bags and place tubers in them and then in wax-lined cardboard boxes and store just above freezing at about 45 degrees.
If you divide your tubers in the fall, you should dry again after dividing. Also cut that 6-inch stump close to the bulb when washing them. The bulb can be labeled with a black marker before storage.
Mulch tender perennials with fallen leaves. Excessive leaf cover on your grass (more than 20%) may smother grass and inhibit spring growth. It also is known to promote snow mold and can make a nice place for voles and mice to winter.
Now is a good time to wrap the trunks of young, newly planted trees to protect them from animal and/or sun damage this winter. You can use plastic pipe or galvanized steel mesh fencing tall enough for deep snowfalls. Bury the bottom edge in the soil 2 to 3 inches to prevent rabbits digging underneath. You can also wrap the trunk with burlap or crinkled paper tree wrap sold at nurseries for this purpose.
Remove in the spring to prevent girdling the tree as it grows. It is good to do this before the weather turns cold and windy — because it makes it nicer for you when you are doing this task! I have found it also protects tree trunks from deer rubbing their horns and taking the bark off young trees.
Are you wondering what to do with your bountiful supply of winter squash? Harvest them when they are mature.
Give squash the thumbnail test to determine maturity. If your thumbnail doesn’t penetrate the skin easily, chances are the squash is ripe.
Leave 2 to 3 inches of stem attached and harden them off for 10 to 14 days in a warm, dry environment to toughen the skin before storing them at 40 to 50 degrees. Fruit without a stem will not keep.
If frost is predicted, and you haven’t harvested your squash, put them in a pile and cover with vines.
There is less chance for rotting if you store squash in a single layer, not touching each other.
Green acorn squash should be kept from light as it causes them to turn yellow. This same information applies to pumpkins.
Master Gardener Sue Morris has been writing a column since 1991 for Kandiyohi County newspapers. Morris has been certified through the University of Minnesota as a gardening and horticulture expert since 1983. She lives in Kandiyohi County.
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