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A Homes & Gardens gardening report advises waiting until a light first frost has passed and dahlia or canna foliage has died back before lifting the plants for winter storage. Gardeners should still dig them up before a hard frost or frozen ground; whether they can remain in the ground depends on local conditions and hardiness zone.
Wait until after a light first frost to lift dahlias and cannas for winter storage, according to a gardening report from Homes & Gardens. The advice differs from guidance for some other tender plants, which may need to be moved under cover before temperatures fall, and is intended to let these plants enter dormancy before their tubers or rhizomes are dug up.
The report says gardeners should also wait for dahlia and canna foliage to change color or die back, a sign that the plants have transferred energy to their underground storage structures. But the delay has a limit: the plants should be lifted before a hard frost or the ground freezes, which can damage tubers and rhizomes and increase the risk of decay in storage.
For plants in the ground, the report recommends cutting back dead foliage to about six inches above soil level. It advises digging around the plant rather than close to its stem, since established tubers and rhizomes may extend outward. After lifting, gardeners can brush off soil, check that the structures are firm, remove soft or rotten sections with a clean tool, and allow them to dry out of direct sunlight before storage.
Storage should be cool, dry, dark and frost-free. The article gives a target range of about 45°F to 55°F and suggests breathable boxes with dry soil, sawdust or vermiculite, or wrapping individual plants in newspaper or hessian. It cautions against airtight containers and sealed plastic bags, and recommends checking stored plants every few weeks for mold or rot. Potted cannas and dahlias may instead be cut back after their foliage dies and moved to a cool, frost-free place, such as an unheated greenhouse or garage.
Timing Protects Next Season’s Growth
The timing matters because cannas and dahlias are tender perennials: freezing can damage their rhizomes and tubers, the structures that support regrowth. Digging them too early, before foliage has died back, may interrupt the plant’s natural move into dormancy. Waiting too long, however, risks exposing those same structures to hard frost or frozen soil.
The report offers a seasonal decision point, not a fixed calendar date. The first light frost and the onset of hard freezes arrive at different times from place to place, so gardeners need to follow local conditions. For people who grow these plants, getting that window right may determine whether they can replant the saved material next season.
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A Frost Rule With Local Exceptions
The report distinguishes cannas and dahlias from other tender plants, including salvias, pelargoniums and citrus, which it says may need to be overwintered indoors or in a greenhouse before temperatures drop. For cannas and dahlias, a light frost is described as a cue that the growing season has ended and dormancy is beginning—not a signal to leave the plants out through a freeze.
Whether digging is needed at all depends on climate and site conditions. According to the article, gardeners in USDA hardiness zones 7 or 8 and warmer may be able to leave cannas and dahlias in the ground under mulch if the soil is not overly wet. In colder areas, it recommends lifting them and storing them somewhere frost-free. The report also advises protecting outdoor faucets and clay pots from freezing as part of broader seasonal preparation.
““canna and dahlia plants should stay outside until the first light frost has passed””
— Homes & Gardens report
Local Frost Dates Set the Window
The report does not give a single date that will work for every garden. Frost timing, soil conditions and hardiness zone vary, and the appropriate moment depends on local weather as well as whether the foliage has died back. It also does not establish that every garden in zones 7 or 8 can safely leave these plants in the ground; the article qualifies that option by noting the soil should not be overly wet.
The supplied report text ends during its storage advice, after mentioning mold and soft tubers, so it does not provide a complete account of how to treat every storage problem. Gardeners should use care with any damaged material and check plants regularly rather than assuming one storage method will suit all conditions.
Watch Foliage and Forecasts
Gardeners preparing for winter should monitor both plant condition and the local forecast. Once a light frost has passed and foliage has changed color or died back, they can prepare to lift in-ground plants—but should act before a hard frost or frozen ground. Those keeping plants in pots can move them to a cool, frost-free location after foliage dieback and insulate containers if their storage area may approach freezing.
After storage begins, inspect the tubers and rhizomes every few weeks for signs of mold or decay. The report’s advice is seasonal guidance, not a guarantee of survival: outcomes depend on local conditions and how the plants are handled and stored.
Key Questions
Should I lift dahlias and cannas before the first frost?
According to Homes & Gardens, generally wait until after a light first frost and until the foliage has changed color or died back. Lift them before a hard frost or frozen ground.
Why wait until the foliage dies back?
The report says foliage dieback indicates the plant has transferred its remaining energy to its tuber or rhizome and is entering dormancy.
Can dahlias and cannas stay in the ground over winter?
The report says they may be left in the ground under mulch in USDA zones 7 or 8 and warmer if the soil is not overly wet. Gardeners in colder areas are advised to lift and store them frost-free.
How should lifted tubers and rhizomes be stored?
Store them in a cool, dry, dark, frost-free place; the article gives about 45°F to 55°F as a target. It suggests breathable boxes with a dry packing medium and regular checks for mold or decay.
Source: rss
