‘Dahlia doctor’ will share tips at master gardener workshop on Nov. 8

Provided photos: (Left) Dahlias come in many different colors and forms, and they are stunning addition to any garden! (Right) Sue Starkweather Miller shows a dahlia tuber during a class presentation at Orleans CCE.

By Katie Oakes, Orleans County CCE Master Gardener Coordinator

KNOWLESVILLE – Dahlias are beautiful flowers native to Central America. They are hundreds of different Dahlia varieties, and each one offers unique qualities that delight cut flower enthusiasts and gardeners alike.

But dahlias can be a bit tricky for gardeners. Dahlia tubers are not cold-hardy and therefore need to be dug up and stored over the winter in order to be grown again the following year.

Master Gardener Sue Starkweather Miller will lead a hands-on workshop called “The Dahlia Doctor is In!” on Saturday, November 8th at 10 a.m. at the Orleans CCE Education Center.  Starkweather Miller has grown dahlias for many years and is an afficionado on the care and maintenance of dahlias. She came up with the idea for the clinic after she kept getting requests for help from friends and neighbors about their dahlias.

“I kept getting the same questions – how do I divide my tubers? How do I store my tubers?” explained Starkweather Miller. “I wanted to offer a class where anyone can come to learn about the best ways to care for their dahlias and we can address all of their questions at the same time!”

This free hands-on clinic will show attendees how to dig up dahlia tubers, clean and dry tubers, divide a clump (can be done in the fall or spring), and store tubers (different methods will be shared). Attendees are welcome to bring in their own tuber clump to divide if they’ve already dug up their dahlias. People are encouraged to bring garden gloves, scissors or pruners, and any questions!

A spring hands-on class will also be offered to show you how to warm up your tubers after winter storage, divide tubers (if you choose to wait until spring to divide them), get them started indoors and how/when to plant them for success (date TBD).

The Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center is located at 12690 State Route 31, Albion. To register, call (585) 798-4265 or email klo54@cornell.edu.