Can You Store Dahlia Tubers in Paper Bags?

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Short Answer: Yes, You Can
3. Why Breathability Matters for Tubers
4. When to Use Paper Bags Over Other Methods
5. Preparing Your Tubers for the Bag
6. How to Pack Dahlias in Paper Bags
7. Finding the Best Storage Spot
8. Comparing Paper Bags to Other Methods
9. Winter Maintenance: The Monthly Check-In
10. Setting Realistic Expectations
11. Conclusion
12. FAQ

Introduction

There is nothing quite like the peak of dahlia season. When those dinnerplate-sized blooms and perfectly symmetrical pompons fill your garden with color, it feels like magic. As the growing season winds down and the first frost approaches, the focus shifts from enjoying flowers to protecting the future. One of the most satisfying parts of gardening is knowing that with just a little bit of care, you can save your favorite plants to enjoy all over again next year.

At Longfield Gardens, we want to make sure your gardening experience is successful and rewarding. Storing tubers is a great way to expand your collection without starting from scratch every spring. If you prefer compact blooms, start with our PomPon Dahlia collection.

This guide will explain how to use paper bags for dahlia storage. We will cover why this method works, how to prepare your tubers for their winter storage, and how to choose the best spot in your home for storage. Storing dahlia tubers in paper bags is a practical and effective method that helps balance moisture and air circulation.

The Short Answer: Yes, You Can

The simple answer is yes, you can absolutely store dahlia tubers in paper bags. In fact, for many home gardeners, paper bags are one of the most reliable tools for overwintering. Paper is a natural, breathable material. Unlike plastic, which can trap excess moisture and lead to rot, paper allows a small amount of air to move in and out. This keeps the environment around the tuber stable. If you're planning next spring's order, start with our Dahlia Collections.

Paper bags are especially helpful if you live in a climate where your storage area is naturally a bit damp. If you keep your tubers in a basement or a cellar with high humidity, the paper acts as a gentle buffer. It protects the tuber from direct contact with the air while allowing any excess moisture to evaporate slowly. This prevents the "swampy" conditions that lead to mold.

However, the success of the paper bag method depends on your specific environment. While paper is great for preventing rot, it does not provide much insulation against very dry air. If your storage space is extremely dry, the tubers might lose too much moisture and shrivel up. Throughout this guide, we will help you determine if paper bags are the right choice for your unique home conditions.

Why Breathability Matters for Tubers

To understand why paper bags work, it helps to think about what a dahlia tuber is doing during the winter. Once you dig it up and move it indoors, the tuber enters a state called dormancy. This is like a deep sleep. The plant stops growing and focuses on conserving its energy and moisture until the warm weather returns.

During dormancy, tubers are still "breathing" at a very slow rate. If you seal them in an airtight plastic container, the gases they release and the moisture they hold can get trapped. This creates a high-humidity microclimate inside the container. If that moisture cannot escape, it invites fungal growth and rot.

Paper bags solve this by being porous. They offer a dark, protected environment that mimics being underground, but they don't suffocate the plant. This balance is the key to a healthy tuber that is ready to sprout in the spring. For a closer look at tuber anatomy, see Dahlia Tubers: What You Need to Know.

Key Takeaway: Paper bags are a "Goldilocks" solution for storage. They are not too airtight and not too exposed, making them ideal for gardeners with moderately humid storage spaces.

When to Use Paper Bags Over Other Methods

Every home has a different "microclimate" for storage. Before you commit to paper bags, consider where you plan to keep your tubers.

If your storage area is a damp basement or a root cellar, paper bags are an excellent choice. They will absorb a small amount of moisture from the air without getting soggy, which keeps the tubers dry enough to stay healthy. In these conditions, plastic wrap or sealed plastic bins might be too risky.

If your storage area is a heated garage or a modern, dry basement, you may need to add an extra step. In very dry air, paper bags can allow the tubers to dry out too quickly. In this scenario, you can still use paper bags, but you should nestle the tubers in a "packing medium" like wood shavings or vermiculite inside the bag. This adds a layer of insulation that slows down moisture loss.

Preparing Your Tubers for the Bag

Success with paper bags starts long before you put them in the bag. Proper preparation ensures that you aren't packing away problems like disease or excess moisture. Follow these simple steps to get your tubers ready for their winter rest.

Timing Your Harvest

The best time to dig up your dahlias is after the first frost has turned the foliage black or brown. This frost sends a signal to the plant to move all its energy down into the tubers. We recommend waiting about a week after the first frost before you start digging. This short wait helps the "eyes" (the small bumps where next year’s stems will grow) become more visible, and it helps the skin of the tuber toughen up.

Digging Carefully

Dahlia tubers are surprisingly fragile. They often grow in a clump that looks like a bunch of sweet potatoes. When you are ready to dig, use a garden fork or a shovel and start about 12 inches away from the main stem. Gently pry upward from all sides to loosen the soil. Once the clump is loose, lift it by the base of the stems rather than tugging on individual tubers.

Cleaning and Trimming

Once the clump is out of the ground, shake off the loose soil. You can use a soft brush or your hands to remove the dirt. Some gardeners prefer to wash their tubers with a garden hose, but if you do this, you must be very careful to let them dry completely afterward.

Trim the main stem down to about one or two inches. You should also trim away any "hair-roots" (the thin, stringy roots) and any tubers that feel mushy or look damaged. Keeping only the firm, healthy tubers reduces the risk of rot spreading in the bag.

The Curing Process

Curing is a vital step that many beginners skip. Before you put tubers into paper bags, they need to air-dry in a protected, frost-free area for 24 to 48 hours. This allows the outer skin to dry and any small nicks from the shovel to "callus" over. Think of it like a scab forming on a cut. This hardened skin acts as a natural shield against rot.

What to do next:

• Wait for the first frost to turn the leaves dark.
• Gently dig the clump, staying 12 inches away from the stem.
• Brush off the dirt and trim the stems to 2 inches.
• Let the tubers sit in a cool, dry place for two days to "cure."

How to Pack Dahlias in Paper Bags

Once your tubers are clean, dry, and cured, it is time to pack them away. You don't need fancy equipment—standard brown grocery bags or smaller lunch bags work perfectly.

Step 1: Label Everything

Before you put a single tuber in a bag, write the variety name or the color on the outside of the bag with a permanent marker. It is very easy to forget which tuber is which by the time spring rolls around. If you are storing multiple tubers of the same variety, you can put them in one large bag. If you have many different types, use individual lunch-sized bags.

Step 2: Use a Packing Medium

While you can put tubers into a paper bag completely "naked," they usually do better with a bit of packing material. This material helps regulate humidity and prevents the tubers from touching each other.

Popular options include:

• Coarse Vermiculite: This is a mineral that holds a tiny bit of moisture but stays airy.
• Wood Shavings: The kind sold for pet bedding (like pine or cedar) is inexpensive and works well.
• Peat Moss: Ensure it is slightly damp, but not wet.
• Shredded Newspaper: A great recycled option that adds extra breathability.

Fill the bottom of the bag with two inches of your chosen material. Place the tuber (or the whole clump) on top, then add more material until the tuber is covered.

Step 3: Don't Crowd the Bag

If you are storing multiple tubers in one bag, try to keep them from touching. If one tuber happens to develop a spot of mold, keeping them separated prevents the mold from jumping to the neighbor. You can wrap individual tubers in a single sheet of newspaper before placing them in the bag for extra protection.

Step 4: Fold, Don't Seal

Fold the top of the paper bag over loosely. Do not staple it shut or tape it air-tight. You want that small amount of air exchange to continue throughout the winter.

Finding the Best Storage Spot

Your paper bags are packed and labeled. Now, where do they go? The environment you choose is just as important as the bag itself.

The Temperature Goal

Dahlias like to stay cool but not cold. The ideal temperature range is between 40°F and 50°F (4°C to 10°C).

• If it gets too cold: If the tubers freeze, they will turn to mush when they thaw. Frozen tubers cannot be saved.
• If it gets too warm: Temperatures above 55°F might signal to the tuber that it is time to grow. They may start to sprout prematurely or dry out and shrivel.

Common Storage Locations

• Unheated Basements: Usually the most consistent spot in the house.
• Attached Garages: These can work well, but you must ensure the temperature doesn't drop below freezing during a winter storm.
• Crawl Spaces: These often have the perfect humidity, but they can be hard to access for monthly checks.
• Root Cellars: The gold standard for tuber storage due to the naturally high humidity and cool temperatures.

If you are not sure what zone you garden in, check our Hardiness Zone Map. Avoid storing your bags near a furnace, water heater, or on a high shelf where warm air collects. Keep the bags off the concrete floor by placing them on a wooden pallet, a cardboard box, or a shelf. Concrete can pull moisture out of the bags or, in some cases, transfer dampness upward.

Comparing Paper Bags to Other Methods

To feel confident in your choice, it helps to see how the paper bag method compares to other popular storage techniques.

Paper Bags vs. Plastic Wrap

The plastic wrap method involves wrapping individual, clean tubers tightly in plastic film. This is excellent for preventing shriveling because it locks moisture in. However, it requires the tubers to be perfectly dry and sanitized before wrapping. If there is even a tiny bit of rot or dampness, the plastic will trap it, and the tuber will rot quickly. Paper bags are much more forgiving for beginners.

Paper Bags vs. Plastic Bins

Many gardeners use large plastic storage bins filled with peat moss or shavings. This is great for large collections. The downside is that bins don't breathe as well as paper. If you use a plastic bin, you usually need to leave the lid slightly cracked. Paper bags provide that built-in ventilation without any extra effort.

Paper Bags vs. Cardboard Boxes

Cardboard boxes are very similar to paper bags. They are breathable and easy to label. Many people actually combine these methods: they put individual varieties into small paper bags and then line those bags up inside a large cardboard box. This adds an extra layer of protection against temperature swings.

Winter Maintenance: The Monthly Check-In

Gardening is a year-round activity, even when the plants are dormant. One of the simplest ways to ensure your dahlias survive is to check on them once a month.

When you check your paper bags, look for two things:

1. Signs of Rot: If a tuber feels soft, mushy, or has a bad smell, it is rotting. Remove it immediately and throw it away. Check the surrounding tubers to make sure they are still firm.
2. Signs of Shriveling: If the tubers are starting to look like wrinkled raisins, they are losing too much moisture. This means your storage area is too dry.

If your tubers are shriveling, you can lightly mist the packing material (like the wood shavings or peat moss) with a spray bottle of water. You don't want to soak the bag—just add enough moisture to raise the humidity slightly. Alternatively, you can place a bowl of water in the storage room to add humidity to the air.

Key Takeaway: A five-minute check once a month can save your entire dahlia collection. Catching a small bit of mold early prevents it from spreading to your favorite varieties.

Setting Realistic Expectations

While we want every gardener to have 100% success, it is important to remember that dahlia tubers are living things. Even professional growers expect to lose a small percentage of their tubers over the winter. Factors like the variety of the dahlia, the weather during the growing season, and the specific humidity of your home all play a role.

If you find that a few tubers didn't make it, don't be discouraged. Use it as a learning experience. If they rotted, try a more breathable spot next year. If they shriveled, try adding more packing material. Gardening is a journey of constant learning, and every season brings new opportunities to improve.

At Longfield Gardens, we stand behind the quality of the products we ship, ensuring they arrive in prime condition for your growing season. Learn more about our 100% Quality Guarantee. When you store your own tubers, you are participating in a long tradition of home gardening. With the paper bag method, you are giving your plants a great head start for the coming spring.

Conclusion

Storing dahlia tubers in paper bags is one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your garden growing year after year. The natural breathability of paper helps prevent the dreaded rot that can ruin a winter's work, while the simplicity of the method makes it accessible for everyone. By following the right steps to dig, cure, and pack your tubers, you can feel confident that they will be ready to go back into the soil when the sun warms up next year.

• Wait for the first frost to properly signal the plant to go dormant.
• Cure your tubers for 48 hours to toughen their skins before bagging.
• Label your bags clearly so you can plan your garden layout in the spring.
• Monitor the temperature to keep your storage spot between 40°F and 50°F.

Storing your own tubers is a rewarding way to preserve the beauty of your summer garden. By using simple paper bags and a cool storage spot, you are ensuring that the vibrant colors of your dahlias will return to greet you next season.

For more gardening tips or to browse our Dahlia Collections, we invite you to visit our website. Our team is always here to help you create a more beautiful yard and garden. Happy gardening!

FAQ

Can I reuse paper bags from the grocery store for dahlia storage?

Yes, standard brown paper grocery bags are excellent for storage because they are thick and breathable. Just make sure the bags are clean and dry before use. Avoid bags that have had meat or produce leaks in them, as this could introduce bacteria to your tubers. If you want to plan ahead, browse our Spring Planted Bulb Collections.

What should I do if my dahlia tubers look shriveled in the paper bag?

If your tubers look wrinkled or feel slightly flexible, they are losing moisture too quickly. You can lightly mist the packing material inside the bag with water or place the paper bag inside a larger plastic bin with the lid left halfway open. This helps trap just enough moisture to stop the shriveling without causing rot. For bigger plantings, our Spring Planted Flower Bulk Buys are worth a look.

Do I need to divide the dahlia clumps before putting them in paper bags?

You can store the clumps whole or divide them into individual tubers in the fall. Storing whole clumps in large paper bags is often easier for beginners and helps the tubers stay hydrated. If you choose to divide them, make sure each individual piece has at least one "eye" near the stem, or it will not grow in the spring. If you prefer to shop by palette, see Spring Planted Bulbs By Color.

How many tubers can I put in one paper bag?

You can put as many tubers as will fit comfortably without being packed too tightly. For a large grocery bag, 5 to 10 tubers are usually fine as long as you use enough packing material (like wood shavings) to keep them from touching. If you are worried about rot spreading, using smaller lunch bags for one or two tubers each is a safer strategy.