Guide to Overwintering Dahlias and Canna Lilies

Dahlias and canna lilies are two flowers that will steal the show in your garden. Even if you have plenty of other beautiful plants in your beds, it seems that dahlias and cannas always draw the eye. If you have taken great care to develop these two flowers over the growing season, you certainly don’t want to lose them to the winter freeze. 

Not to worry – with some planning, you can protect them during the cold season and get them going again in spring. See our guide on overwintering dahlias and canna lilies below, so you can give these plants the best possible chance for success. Need help with gardening or other landscaping tasks? Reach out to TLC today and our team will be happy to discuss the services we have available to those in and around Jackson, WY. 

Are Cannas and Dahlias Annuals?

First, before we dive into the techniques you can use to overwinter your dahlias and cannas, we first should define what kinds of plants these are and what you can expect from them. Although it doesn’t seem like it in some climates, both cannas and dahlias are actually perennials. In a mild climate, these plants will come back year after year when tended to properly. 

But as you know, Jackson, WY is not a mild climate. We experience winters that are quite cold, so you shouldn’t expect them to make it through winter on their own. If left alone and in the ground, you’ll lose these plants to the freezing conditions. Fortunately, there are options available to get them through the winter so they can return to their glory again next growing season, so let’s take a closer look at how that is done. 

Overwintering Canna Lilies

First, we’ll address canna lilies. If you can manage the timing just right and find a suitable storage location, you should have success putting them back into the ground in the spring. Here’s what you need to know – 

• Do your best to pull them out of the ground on the day of the first frost in the Jackson area. Cut off the stems as close to the ground as possible and then pull up the roots out of the soil carefully
• Once you have them out of the ground, place them into small boxes and cover the roots with sand or loose soil
• The goal is to avoid both rotting and drying out, which will happen at low and high temperatures, respectively. So, aim for a storage location that is slightly cooler than room temperature. Often, a basement space will work well for this, but every situation is different. Your garage might make a suitable option if it stays warm enough during the winter (such as a garage that is attached to a house and has a climate-controlled space attached)
• Replanting can take place once the soil has thawed in the spring and the threat of frosty mornings has passed

Overwintering Dahlias

While the general plan for dahlias is quite similar, there are some important differences to keep in mind to get good results. If you were to follow the exact same procedure from above for dahlias, you probably wouldn’t wind up with a positive outcome. 

• You’ll want to wait longer into the cold conditions before taking the tubers of your dahlias out of the soil. Try going at least a week into the freezing weather before doing the work, and make sure the plants are as healthy as possible heading into this period
• When it’s time to do the work, cut them down and divide up the clumps of tubers into small containers. Give them some time to dry out before covering them up for the winter season
• After drying, surround them with some loose organic material, like peat moss. Add a lid to retain the moisture that is inside the container 
• For storage temperature, you’ll want it to be colder than with the canna lilies. Under 50*F would be great, but you also don’t want to let them freeze. You might have to get creative to find just the right spot to store them in the narrow band of temperatures that will keep them in good condition

Can We Help?

TLC has been serving residential and commercial properties in the Jackson area for years, and we’d love to add yours to that list. Whether you just don’t have time to manage your own landscaping, or you’d like some help with a particularly tricky gardening project, you can count on our expert team to come to the rescue. Give us a call today to learn more. Thank you for considering TLC!