Dahlia Scura

Plant your dahlias during the beautiful days in soil that has been deeply worked and enriched, for example, with crushed horn or dehydrated blood. Place your tuber and crumble the soil well to fill in without any air pockets. Your dahlia should be covered with 6 cm (2in) of soil. At the end of planting, pour one litre of water. Water regularly during the first 6 weeks to aid in root development. Dahlias are sensitive to cold. They need to be overwintered. In November, the first frosts 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 tubers can replenish their reserves. When the foliage is dry, cut the stems 10 cm (4in) from the tuber. Spread your bulbs in a box on newspaper. Store away from freezing temperatures in a dry, cool, and dark place.