Dahlia Twinings After Eight

Plant your dahlias during the warm days in a deeply worked soil, enriched with bonemeal. Place your tuber and crumble the soil well to fill without air pockets. Your dahlia should be covered with 6 cm (2in) of soil. At the end of planting, pour in one litre of water. Water regularly during the first 6 weeks to help with rooting. Dahlias are sensitive to cold. They need to be overwintered. In November, the first frost will blacken the foliage, which is the time to dig them up. Carefully remove the tubers. Remove as much soil as possible. Let the foliage dry so that the tuber can replenish its reserves. When the foliage is dry, cut the stems 10 cm (4in) from the tuber. Spread your bulbs in a box on a newspaper. Store in a frost-free, dry, damp and dark place.