Potted Dahlias in the house?

[zynski]

I had potted up a dahlia root pretty late in the season, in July. I found the root looking pretty sad in my garage, so I thought I'd give it a chance in a container. It did very well, bloomed nicely. I deadheaded the spent flowers and the side shoots and flowers appeared and I took the pot into the house to enjoy it and to give it some more life. We've had our killing frost here in New Hampshire. They're not hardy in my zone by any means.

It's a lovely plant, nice foliage and flowers. So I'm now treating it like a house plant.

Should I overwinter it in the house and bring it out in the spring? will it last that long? will it continue to flower and grow?

Or, should I put it outside and put an end to it's current life cycle?

 

[Greensage45]

Don't be silly!

Or, should I put it outside and put an end to it's current life cycle?

You brought it in because you did not want to see it die. Now just let it winter over as any other frost-tender perennial.

You could withhold water and allow the plant to recede back to the tuber; then store as you normally would for the East Coast. Replant in Spring.

But, you can also let it suspend in a cooler sunny window. Not watering nearly as much and it will just sit around and be a plant until Spring. Any growth starts will just have to be hardened off before outside introduction.

You might cause powdery mildew in the house, you might attract gnats or whitefly. but most likely it will continue to look nice and bushy and it might even send a bloom out to smile at you.

It sounds like it looks nice right now and you are enjoying it. Then I would just provide for it in the house; then if it goes leggy and ugly pull it and give it some refrigeration time stored in a garage.

LOL what color was it? Did you ever take pictures?

Ron :bouquet