Dig & Divide Dahlia Workshop Learn to dig, divide and store your tubers with confidence, right here on the farm.
For the first time, I'm opening up our new farm for a hands-on workshop, and I can't wait to share it with you. On Sunday, October 25 we'll walk the farm together, talk through what happens to dahlias at the end of the season, and take turns digging in the field, and after I show you how I wash a clump, we'll head into the greenhouse, where a clean clump will be waiting for each of you to divide and take home.
Sunday, October 25, 10 AM to 1 PM at The Flowering Farmhouse in Hood River, with only a few spots left and registration closing Saturday, October 24 at 6 PM.
Sunday, October 25❀10 AM to 1 PM❀Hood River, Oregon❀$125❀Limited to 12
You've tended to these dahlias all season, and now it's time to get them out of the ground and prepare them for winter storage
If you're feeling a little knot in your stomach about it, you're in very good company, because I hear the same worries from growers every single year.
- You've watched the videos and read the blog posts, and you still aren't sure where to make the first cut.
- You can't tell an eye from a bump, so you're tempted to store the whole clump and just hope for the best.
- You've snapped a neck pulling a clump out of the ground and felt your heart sink when the tuber came off in your hand.
- You opened a bin in the spring and found mushy, moldy or shriveled tubers, and you're still not sure what went wrong.
- You spent real money on these tubers, and the thought of losing them over the winter in your garage keeps nagging at you.
- You're figuring all of this out on your own, with nobody to turn to and ask whether this one looks okay.
You're not behind, and this is so much simpler than it feels right now
I always tell my students that the first cut is always the scariest, and once someone stands next to you and points to an eye on a real clump, you start seeing them everywhere and the whole process finally clicks.
Dividing does feel a little strange when you're learning, and at the same time it's so exciting, because every clump you divide well turns into more tubers to plant next spring and more flowers to share.
Dahlia storage can be complicated, but when we talk through it together, it's so much easier than it may seem at first.
That's what this morning on the farm is for, so you can stop guessing, ask every question you've been saving up, and drive home with tubers you divided yourself and a plan you actually trust.
Learn how to take your dahlias from the field to storage in one morning
We'll work through the whole process the way I do it here on the farm, and you'll have your hands in the dirt for most of it.
A walk around the farm
We'll start with a tour of the farm and talk about what's happening with the dahlias at the end of the season, so you know what to look for in your own garden before you ever pick up a shovel.
Preparing to dig
I'll show you how I get the field ready, from labeling your varieties and cutting the stalks back to knowing when your tubers have had enough time in the ground.
Your turn to dig
Everyone gets a turn digging in the field, and I'll show you how to loosen the soil and lift a clump without snapping the necks that hold your tubers to the crown.
A washing demo
Outside on the farm, I'll show you how I wash a clump so you can actually see the crown, the necks and the tiny eyes that tell you where next year's plant will grow, and then we'll head into the greenhouse, where a clean clump will be waiting for each of you.
Dividing your clump
Then you'll divide your clump yourself while I answer every question that comes up, and before anything goes home with you, I'll check each tuber to make sure it has an eye and no rot.
Storing for winter
We'll finish with how to clean, cure and pack your tubers so they make it to spring, and you'll take yours home in peat moss with everything you need to know to keep them safe.
You'll know exactly what to do with your own dahlias this fall
- You'll know when your dahlias are ready to dig and how to get your beds ready before you start.
- You'll be able to properly lift a clump out of the ground without breaking the necks that hold your tubers to the crown.
- You'll know how to find an eye, so you can tell which tubers will grow next spring.
- You'll have divided your own clump of tubers, with me right there guiding you.
- You'll have a storage plan that fits your own garage, basement or closet, and know how often to check on it.
- You'll drive home with around 5 tubers you divided yourself, packed in peat moss and each one checked by me for an eye and no rot.
Before I was a flower farmer, I was a professional photographer, and in 2019 I planted almost 300 dahlias in the front yard of our old house with a few zinnias and cosmos tucked in.
Every fall since then I've dug, divided and stored my own tubers, and today we grow about 4,000 dahlias here on the farm in Hood River, so I've had plenty of practice figuring out what keeps tubers healthy through a Gorge winter.
This is our first workshop on the new farm, and after teaching this online since 2023, I'm so excited to finally teach it in person, right here in the field where these tubers grew.
Everything you need to dig, divide and store with confidence
- A farm tour
- Your own turn digging in the field
- A washing demo and your own clean tuber clump to divide in the greenhouse
- Around 5 divided tubers to take home in peat moss, each one checked by me for an eye and no rot over $50 value
- A printable Dig, Divide & Store workbook to keep
- Lifetime access to my online Dig, Divide & Store With Confidence mini course $37 value
- Coffee and snacks (please note lunch is not included)
Workshop: Sunday, October 25, 10 AM to 1 PM 路 3050 Dee Hwy, Hood River
We still have a few spots left, and registration closes Saturday, October 24 at 6 PM.
Before you join me
Do I need any experience?
Not at all, because we'll start from the very beginning, and growers who have been digging for a few seasons always find something new to take home too.
Which varieties will we be dividing?
Each person divides one clump, and the clumps come from a mix of Cornel, Cornel Bronze, Ivanetti, Caitlin's Joy, Ferncliff Rusty and Blizzard, so everyone works on something a little different and we all learn from each other.
What should I wear and bring?
Please wear clothes and boots you don't mind getting muddy and bring a pair of gardening gloves, and I'll have everything else ready for you, including the tools, the coffee and the snacks.
How long is the workshop, and is lunch included?
We'll go from 10 AM to 1 PM, and while lunch isn't included, I'll have coffee and snacks ready to keep you going all morning.
What if it rains?
We'll be dividing in the greenhouse no matter what the weather does, so a rainy morning just means a little more mud on our boots, and the workshop happens rain or shine.
Can I bring a friend?
I'd love that, and since every person gets their own tubers, workbook and course, each friend will need to save their own spot.
What happens after I register?
You'll get a confirmation email with directions and parking, and your online mini course unlocks right away so you can start watching before Sunday.
Come be part of our first workshop on the new farm
Flower farmers call the first killing frost Frostmas, because once the field is put to bed, digging up a clump of healthy tubers feels like Christmas morning for a tired farmer, and I'd love for you to feel that with me this year.
Save my spotA few spots left 路 Registration closes Saturday, October 24 at 6 PM.
