After growing dahlias for many years, I still struggle with identifying the tuber in some indelible way. I've seen perfectly cleaned tubers with the names inked on them in a fine small hand, but that's pretty much out of my wheelhouse. So, what are some of the ways you mark your tubers before storing them?

I did two things this year.

I used a sharpie on a cleaned tuber and then I toss mine w cinnamon. I roll the tuber in Saran and then tuck in a cutdown notecard written on with sharpie as I roll and wrap. Works well for me. A lot of the commercial growers tattoo/stamp the tubers with names which leaves them w the fine blue names.

Kristine Albrecht from Santa Cruz is using surgical markers on hers as the markers are used on skin and a softer tuber can handle it. I did have some issue w the skin lifting on a few of my tubers.

Hope this give you an idea.

ScarletTricycle said: I did two things this year.

I used a sharpie on a cleaned tuber and then I toss mine w cinnamon. I roll the tuber in Saran and then tuck in a cutdown notecard written on with sharpie as I roll and wrap. Works well for me. A lot of the commercial growers tattoo/stamp the tubers with names which leaves them w the fine blue names.


Kristine Albrecht from Santa Cruz is using surgical markers on hers as the markers are used on skin and a softer tuber can handle it. I did have some issue w the skin lifting on a few of my tubers.

Hope this give you an idea.

thank you ScarletTricycle...probably should have mentioned that I don't really clean my tubers like those shown, which is probably the main reason writing the names on them doesn't work well for me But I like your idea of wrapping a card with the tuber and may try to work out something with that

I divide and wash mine. If you hop into the group on the dahlia thread everyone does something different. We are from all areas of the country, some of us have basements or attics we store in. I'm zone 4A, heat all winter and live in 125 year old house and store in the basement Saran wrapped and crates. The other thread has lots of ideas and knowledgeable peeps.

Good luck!