Dividing dahlias

You can divide dahlia clumps using a sharp paring knife or very sharp snips. Carefully cut the tuber away from the main stalk, being sure you get an eye with each tuber. The eyes are at the crown of the tuber near the stalk. So usually I intentionally leave some stalk connected to the tuber which guarantees I haven’t missed the eyes at the crown of the tuber. I divide about half my dahlias before storage and the other half I wait until spring to divide based on size and my storage situation. I have found no difference in the tuber success rate with dividing before storage or after. However, cut surfaces should be let to dry overnight in a cool place. Don’t let them dry longer. Most dahlia resources in Washington state come from the West Coast where they have more clay and rain this time of year. Therefore many people suggest washing the dahlias at this step. I DO NOT wash my dahlia tubers. I try to dig them up when they are dry and I brush off excess dirt instead of washing. I use a soft brush, a sponge, and an old toothbrush. I have found washing my tubers creates a tricky timing schedule. One year I packed them too wet. The next year I packed them too dry. My most successful winter storage was when I didn’t wash. The bit of soil helps insulate the tubers and prevents them from drying out.