Love those colorful dahlias, caladiums? Take steps to preserve precious tubers, bulbs

The chill in the air signals another gardening season has come to an end. Before putting away the equipment for a winter rest, there are still a few chores. Now is the time to prepare tender bulbs and tubers before winter weather arrives.

Tender or summer flowering bulbs and tubers have grown in popularity. These bulbs bring another dimension to the landscape with a wide range of textures and forms, giving a tropical feel to the garden.

Tender bulbs include cannas, gladiolas, caladium, tuberoses and dahlias. Alocasia and Colocasia, or more commonly known as elephant ears, are staples of many gardens and container plantings.

This group of plants develops and grows from underground fleshy roots and stems. They are not winter hardy in the Kansas City climate. To save them for another growing season, dig them up and store to replant next spring.

Many of these bulbs are expensive and yet easy to keep with a bit of care. It is best to wait till a frost to dig for storage. Freezing temperatures above ground damage the foliage, but the warmer soil protects underground roots.

Late in the season, the bulbs and tubers draw the energy from the green growth down into the roots, storing the food for new growth the next year. Leaving in the ground for a week or two after the first frost will blacken the foliage but will help the plant continue to mature and convert the energy into food. This maturing process helps improve success with winter storage.

Start by cutting the browning foliage back to the ground. Once the foliage has been removed, dig the bulbs and tubers. Remove as much of the soil as possible by hand. Wash the rest of the soil away, or just leave it attached.

Before storing, allow the bulbs to dry or cure for one to two weeks. This can be done in a warm, dry location such as a garage. The drying process removes excess moisture from the plants, which can lead to decay.

Once cured, the bulbs and tubers are ready for storage. Summer bulbs keep best at temperatures around 45 to 50 degrees. Basements are the most common storage location. But a word of caution; most basements are too warm for proper storage. Finished basements or those with furnaces and hot water heaters raise the temperature.

Garages may be more suitable for winter storage. If your garage freezes during cold spells over winter, be sure to bring it into a cool spot in the home until the danger of the freezing has passed.

Store the dry plants in either a cardboard box or loosely packed in newspaper or dry peat moss. Check the storage container a couple of times over the winter and discard any decaying tubers.

Springtime temperatures signal it’s time to bring them out of storage for another season of color in the garden.

Dennis Patton is a horticulture agent with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Have a question for him or other university extension experts? Email them to garden.help@jocogov.org.