Tucking Your Dahlias In for Winter

I learned this lesson the soggy PNW way: two years in a row, I bought gorgeous dahlias in summer, tucked them into the ground, mulched them heavily in winter, crossed my fingers… and they never returned. Not a sprout, not a stem, nothing. Just empty soil and heartbreak.

That’s when I discovered the truth: in our climate, dahlias don’t usually die from cold — they die from wet. A long, damp winter turns those lovely tubers into mush underground. So now I think of overwintering them like tucking sleepy little creatures into a safe burrow until the sun returns.

Why Dahlias Need Extra Winter Care (PNW-specific)

• Our winters are mild but soaked — exactly what tubers hate.

• Even in zones 8b–9a, leaving tubers in the ground is a gamble.

• Digging them up protects your investment (and your favourite colours!).

• Bonus: you can divide, label, and grow even more next year.