In the final edition of Gardentalk for the 2017 season, Master Gardener Ed Buyarski provides some advice for fall and winter care of begonias, dahlias and fuschias.
If you haven’t done so, you should bring in those plants to your garage or some other cool, dry place before it gets too frosty overnight.
For dahlias, trim the browning tops and cut back the stems so they are short, only a few inches long. Carefully pull them out of the pots or ground, and rinse off the tubers in a cardboard box or paper bag and leave in a place with 40 to 50 degree temperatures.
For begonias, snap off the tops and let them dry out before you store the tubers like the dahlias.
Buyarski said it’s a good idea to label the variety and color of each bag as you put them into winter storage.
For fuschias, remove the leaves and trim them back the stems to 4 to 8 inches tall. Leave the plants in their pots and store in the garage or a crawlspace that doesn’t freeze during the winter. Check up on your fuschias and water them throughout the winter if they start getting dry.
Listen to the season finale of Gardentalk about begonia, dahlia and fuschia care:
Upcoming gardening events include the 4th Annual Garlic Lovers Potluck at the Canvas, Sunday, Oct. 22 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. that may include workshops and planting garlic for sale.
There’s also a gardening conference scheduled or February in Haines that will feature garden writer Jeff Lowenfels.
