Dahlia Dividing

Dahlias are some of our favorite flowers. Their geometric structures and dramatic colors are a wow-inducing sight each season.

Each fall we dig up our dahlia tubers, store them through the winter, and replant for the following season. One of the beautiful things about dahlias is that each season ends with more tubers than it began with!

To get the most out of each crop, we divide the tubers before replanting.

Here is how we divide our dahlia tubers:

 

Tools required:

•A sturdy surface (a piece of plywood works great!)

• A sharp knife (We use a harvest knife.)

•Sharp snips (We use Felcos.)

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Step 1
Step 1

Each mass of tubers that is dug up will have the remnants of the stem at the top and a bunch of juicy tubers at the bottom. The tubers will have little pink or white “eyes” pushing out, often closer to the stem. Identify the eyes first. (They may be really tiny!)

Step 2
Step 2

Using a knife or snips, break apart the tuber mass into smaller pieces of tuber, with viable eyes on each piece.

Step 3
Step 3

To maximize the number of plantable pieces, continue to break down your tubers. Make sure each piece has a healthy tuber, which will feed the plant as it gets established and before it has enough foliage to supply nutrients.

Step 4
Step 4

This is what a perfect dahlia tuber looks like — ready to plant! It should have a healthy tuber to feed it and at least one viable eye to grow from. Happy growing!

 
Susannah Ashkenas