Dahlias: To Lift & Store or Mulch & Leave?

Last year I was honestly so tired from working full-time and managing my little patch; the cutting garden just got abandoned. I downed tools, went straight to wreath-making, and left it, Dahlias and all.  No lifting, no labelling, no careful winter storage like the previous year. Just a whole lot of hoping. Now there's a lot to be said for a hands-off approach, but it's risky. 

Why leaving them in can work.

Here in Devon, we have mild winters,  but with a tendency for wetter-than-average.  Established clumps left in the ground often come back earlier and stronger and produce more stems than those left in boxes or crates. I also find that the laborious step of starting them in pots in March is unnecessary; I plant tubers straight in the ground with slug protection in April, and they romp away faster.  Much easier when you're growing over a hundred like me!

The real danger isn't the cold; it's the wet. 

So here's how I'll be tucking them in this week. 

I'll be cutting them down, chop-and-drop style, which helps to put nutrients back into the soil, no need to compost.  And I'll being doing that before the first frosts, cos blackened foliage is slimy and nasty!  The whole bed will get 10cm mulch of woodchip courtesy of a local tree surgeon buddy.  A thick winter duvet if you will, that keeps the crowns safe from hard frosts should this winter get particularly spicy.

Why I'm lifting some too

Some of my clumps have been in the ground for three years now and will be ready to divide. Dividing will give me extra plants for free, White Onesta, I'm looking at you. Some just aren't as productive or resilient to the hot summers, so they'll be coming out to make way for new ones. Lifting also gives me the chance to check the health of the tubers I left in and label them properly, something I definitely didn't do last year. 

So which should you do? 

There's no right answer here. If your soil is heavy and gets waterlogged, lifting is the safer bet. If it drains well and your winters are mild, mulching and leaving could give you a head start next year. And if, like me, you're somewhere in between, why not do a bit of both and see what works best for you?

Coming next year

I'm leaning into dahlias in a big way for 2027, with three more beds allocated and planted as colour stories. One is soft and dreamy, one is coffee and cream, and one is dark and moody. If you'd like first dibs on them in your Friday Flower Club bouquets, drop me a line. 

Much love, Han x

P.S. This little cutting garden is where we test BloomOS, the app we're building to help fledgling and experienced flower farmers keep track of everything from sowing to selling. We have lots of planning tools; check out how many dahlias you have space for with our free calculator https://bloomos.app/calculators/plants-per-bed