Viewing post #56106 by Poochella

Don't blame the poor dahlias for your cruddy Michigan bug infestation! I wonder what they were though and how they lived all winter, or perhaps the clumps had eggs lain which hatched when it got warmer? Can't blame you for 'yucking' about anything crawling en masse in your house or crawl space! I'd do the same.

Yes, I have to dig. It is way too wet and occasionally too cold to let dahlias stay in the ground here, though I had 4 plants survive our milder and drier winter of 09. (Too bad; I left them in there on purpose to rot ) It takes me about 8-9 weeks, almost full time days and evenings to get them dug, washed labeled, dried, and packed away. Wish the show "Intervention" would show up and talk me out of the madness. But they're soooo pretty! There's talk of a co-op next spring and I may participate with a few of my own favorites so keep an eye peeled if you're at all tempted. No bugs, guaranteed!

These were the tail end and barely presentable, but cut on 11/14/09. What else can keep blooming that long (besides weeds?)