Awakening Dahlia Tubers

Storing dahlia tubers over winter with some soil clinging to the roots (a bit more than shown here) has its advantages. Apart from preventing the tubers drying out too much, this now almost dry soil can be gently watered with tepid water to encourage new spring growth. As far as 'awakening' is concerned, the tubers don't actually need any - they will do this all by themselves. Nevertheless, this water seems to help them along. Watch that the water does not just run off the roots if the soil is dry. I do mine at least twice, with at least a day between treatments.

Watering also wakes up the slugs. So you need to put slug pellets down and pay close attention. But its better dealing with them now rather than burying them in the ground, where they are more difficult to deal with. If buried, they might have destroyed the plant before you realise they are there, and it will probably be too late to do anything about it.

Once the buds start to develop, the tubers can be re-examined and split up appropriately.