Plants like caladiums, cannas, dahlias, elephant ears and gladiolus bring vibrant color and tropical flair to summer gardens. Unfortunately, they’re no match for our Midwestern winters. These plants, commonly referred to as tender or summer-blooming bulbs, will be killed by our cold winter temperatures if left outdoors. Therefore, if we don't want to buy new plants every year, we’ll need to dig and store them indoors for the winter.

Digging and cleaning up tender bulbs

Timing is important when it comes to digging tender bulbs. If they are dug too early, it reduces the amount of energy the plants can produce and store for next year. Wait too long, and there is a risk the bulbs will be damaged by cold/frozen soil.

Once the foliage of the plants has begun to turn yellow or has been killed

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