What to do with annuals that are not in sync with their growing season? Well, not really annuals, t - Ask Extension
I started seeds for dahlias kind of late. They were very slow to come up and grow. I transplanted them into small pots in late September or October. ...
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What to do with annuals that are not in sync with their growing season? Well, not really annuals, t #921915
Asked November 13, 2025, 5:20 PM EST
I started seeds for dahlias kind of late. They were very slow to come up and grow. I transplanted them into small pots in late September or October. But now what to do with them? Is it worth trying to grow them on throughout the winter and early spring?
I'd say the remaining few are three to three and a half inches tall in small pots. Or should I give them a compost funeral?
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
They may not fare well grown indoors like a houseplant, so you can try letting them go dormant and then overwintering the tuber (if they've formed one) or roots in a sheltered area inside that stays cool.
While it might not fully apply to your current situation (such as if the young plants don't have tubers yet), here is the advice we've given to other gardeners regarding overwintering Dahlia tubers, if it's at all useful:
Once dahlia tubers have been dug out of the ground, you only need to let them cure for a day or two. If you leave them out longer, they may begin to dry out and shrivel up. When you first dig out the tubers, the outer skin is very tender and thin (can be easy to nick with a fingernail). When they are cured, the surface of the tuber is a little bit darker and tougher. Visually, the difference can be somewhat subtle.
There are advantages to rinsing the tubers (some people blow off the soil). This gets out any clumps of soil that might be holding a lot of moisture and microorganisms next to the tubers - potentially leading to rotting in storage. Rinsing off the clump also makes it easier to divide the tubers (if you plan to do so in the fall).
You can trim off roots and thin tubers as soon as you dig the clumps out of the ground. You also can trim away the “mother” tuber (it usually has a rougher surface and may even be shriveled or partially hollow -- it will not regrow).
The American Dahlia Society has instructions on dividing tubers and the various options you can use for storing them for the winter: Digging, Dividing, and Storing Tubers. They also have a guide demonstrating how to process (rinse and divide) tubers.
Miri
While it might not fully apply to your current situation (such as if the young plants don't have tubers yet), here is the advice we've given to other gardeners regarding overwintering Dahlia tubers, if it's at all useful:
Once dahlia tubers have been dug out of the ground, you only need to let them cure for a day or two. If you leave them out longer, they may begin to dry out and shrivel up. When you first dig out the tubers, the outer skin is very tender and thin (can be easy to nick with a fingernail). When they are cured, the surface of the tuber is a little bit darker and tougher. Visually, the difference can be somewhat subtle.
There are advantages to rinsing the tubers (some people blow off the soil). This gets out any clumps of soil that might be holding a lot of moisture and microorganisms next to the tubers - potentially leading to rotting in storage. Rinsing off the clump also makes it easier to divide the tubers (if you plan to do so in the fall).
You can trim off roots and thin tubers as soon as you dig the clumps out of the ground. You also can trim away the “mother” tuber (it usually has a rougher surface and may even be shriveled or partially hollow -- it will not regrow).
The American Dahlia Society has instructions on dividing tubers and the various options you can use for storing them for the winter: Digging, Dividing, and Storing Tubers. They also have a guide demonstrating how to process (rinse and divide) tubers.
Miri
