November 26 . . . the last clump of dahlias was divided and stored the day before Thanksgiving. It was a happy conclusion to the season. The blooms this year were mediocre from a lack of care, but the tubers were plentiful and mature. The stalks were solid near the bottom. I dusted the tubers with cinnamon, and dipped a few divisions in a VirkonS fungicide solution if they showed a brown color of decay near the shoulder.
I also dipped the cutting implements in VirkonS after each clump. This mixture is reported to be effective against bacteria, virus and some fungi. It has been endorsed by the ADS virus research committee. Finally, I have been using a oscillating “multi-tool” to make vertical cuts into the clump. It seems to be more efficient than pruning shears or a cleaver. Small cuts are made with a snap off knife. I did 47 clumps without injury. This may be too late to offer this advice. I may repeat it next year. It works for me.
