Lesson 2
The lifting routine
Choose a dry day a week or so after the first hard frost. The foliage will be blackened but the stems still firm enough to grip. Cut the stems back to 15cm above soil level with clean secateurs. This stub becomes your handle. Do not cut flush to the ground — you risk slicing into the crown where all the growth buds sit.
Insert a garden fork 25–30cm away from the base of the plant, well beyond where you think the tubers reach. Dahlia roots spread wider than you expect. Lever gently, working in a circle around the clump. The goal is to lift the entire root ball intact. Tubers snap easily — they are brittle, not fibrous. If you stab straight down next to the stem you will spear half your crop.
Once the clump is free, shake off the worst of the soil. Lay it on its side on the ground for an hour so excess water drains from the hollow stems. This prevents water pooling in the crown and rotting it from the inside. Then move the whole clump — stems, tubers, dirt and all — to your cleaning station.
Common mistakes
- Cutting stems flush to the ground and slicing the crown
- Digging too close and spearing tubers with the fork
- Lifting in pouring rain so tubers stay waterlogged
- Storing wet tubers immediately without drying
Lifting without damage
- 1.Cut blackened stems to 15cm stubs.
- 2.Mark a circle 30cm from the stem base; insert fork outside this line.
- 3.Lever gently, working around the plant, until the clump loosens.
- 4.Lift the entire root ball free; shake off heavy soil.
- 5.Lay the clump on its side for 60 minutes to drain.
- 6.Carry to your cleaning area by the stem stub, supporting the tubers from below.
If a tuber snaps during lifting, set it aside separately — it may still be viable but needs extra scrutiny.