As October’s setting sun quietly approaches, the first frost is inevitably on the horizon.

The frost marks the end of summer annuals—they will die, and will not return.

But, there is a loophole. A trick called “lifting” turns your annuals into perennials.

Annual… or perennial?

Annual and perennial classifications can be confusing to new gardeners. To add to the complexity, some flowers are both.

Flowers like dahlias, for example, are perennial in warm climates—they’ll come back year after year. But in colder climates, like Zone 5 or 6, they are annuals, because they can’t survive our winters.

If you have perennial flowers that act as annuals because of your cold climate, you can lift them.

Lifting summer flowers

Lifting refers to the process of removing a flower’s bulb (or corm, rhizome, tuber or roots), from the ground at the end of the season.

The bulbs (et al.) are then stored and replanted in the spring.

Here are a few of the most popular flowers to lift:

• Dahlias

• Geraniums (pelargoniums)

• Gladioli

• Begonias

• Caladium

• Calla lilies

How to do it

Summer flowers can be lifted directly after the first frost. The frost will blacken the foliage, a telltale sign that they’re ready to be lifted.

In the how-to below, I walk through how to lift dahlias and geraniums, as that’s what I lift most often—but the instructions are applicable to any of the flowers listed above.

What you’ll need

Pruners, a spade or digging mechanism, a tray (and/or newspaper or brown paper bags), and storage material (sand, vermiculite, dry potting soil or newspaper all work well).

Directions

1. For dahlias: Gently dig around the dahlia clump, taking care not to damage the tubers. Lift them out of the ground, shake off excess soil, and trim the stems so they extend only a few inches from the tuber clump.

   For geraniums: Prune the plant back by about one-third, removing all flowers and any stems that show signs of rot. Then carefully dig up the entire plant, including the root ball. Shake excess soil from the roots, leaving a small root ball behind.

2. Lay your dahlias and geraniums on a tray (or on newspaper, or in a brown paper bag) in a cool, dry place for a few days.

3. Store your dahlias and geraniums in a cool, dark, and frost-free place—a basement or garage is perfect.

   Dahlia tubers can be nestled in a pot with your selected storage material. If storing in dry potting soil, ensure there is absolutely no moisture in the soil, as the tubers will rot.

   Geraniums can be placed upside down (their traditional storing position!) inside a brown paper bag. Close the bag and secure shut with a piece of tape or a bag clip.

4. Throughout the winter, check in on the tubers/plants occasionally to ensure they remain dry and healthy. If tubers or geraniums are squishy and/or moldy, it means they’ve rotted and should be disposed of immediately.

5. You can jumpstart the growing process by potting up the tubers or geraniums 6-8 weeks before your average last frost date. Or, just plant directly outside after the last frost of the season.

📚 Book I’m reading

I never walked out of a bookstore empty-handed.

Over the weekend I popped into a local bookstore “just to see” and left with a copy of Gallant by V.E. Schwab. I loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by the same author, and can’t wait to start this one.

👩🏻‍🌾 Bulbs I’m sowing

It’s time to sow the bulbs for the crocus lawn! I’m so excited to give it a try this year.

It’s the perfect month to sow crocuses, in the lawn or in the dirt, so if you’re thinking about it—now’s the time!

Last year I experimented with leaving dahlia tubers in the ground under the cover of mulch and hay. To my surprise, many came back this year!

This fall, I’ll lift my favorites, to make certain I’ll have them next year. What about you?

Xx,

Courtney