As fall rolls in, it’s time for many of us to start digging up our dahlia tubers. Why? Because if they’re left in the ground in colder climates where the soil freezes, your precious tubers will turn to mush. If you’re in a warmer region, you might be lucky enough to leave them in the ground all year. But for those of us in areas with freezing winters, digging and storing dahlia tubers is a must.

With so much information out there on how to dig and store your tubers, it can feel overwhelming. The truth is, there’s no one "right" way to do it. What I want you to take away from this article is that you have options, and the coolest part is that you get to choose what works best for your specific conditions. At the end of the day, this isn’t rocket science—the goal is simple: dig them out of the ground, and keep them dormant and alive through the winter. That’s it! Let’s dive into how to make it happen.

Dahlias are loved by gardeners, flower farmers, and customers for good reason. Their variety of colors and shapes, along with their ability to thrive in late summer and fall, make them a popular choice for cut flowers. Whether you're just starting out or growing your farm, dahlias bring beauty and reliability to the table.

Most growers have it completely backward. They grow a gazillion different flowers but rely on just one or two ways to sell them—usually mixed bouquets. What if you flipped the script? What if, instead of juggling dozens of flower varieties, you grew just one powerhouse flower and had a multitude of ways to generate revenue from it?

That’s the magic of dahlias. These stunning blooms aren’t just another pretty face in the field; they’re one of the most versatile and profitable flowers you can grow. From their first sprout to their final bloom (and even beyond), every stage of the dahlia lifecycle offers opportunities to make money.

Dahlia tubers. The blooms are the queen of the late-summer garden and the tubers are a critical income stream for flower farmers in the dead of winter when their field is dormant. But as you log hour after hour planting, digging, washing, dividing and storing, you start to wonder…is all the time and effort worth it?