Hello Mike

The method I describe in my Advise Sheet 1. is exactly the method I use.  I use a system of keeping the tubers 'growing on'.  I do not dry them out, chop pieces off etc etc. as has been the method for many many years.  I think where you may be confused is that you have as do many growers, a preconcieved idea of tuber storage based on decades of 'thats the way to do it'.  I found by chance, better to leave the tubers 'intact' complete with soil and store them as described on my sheet.  In my experience as soon as you start chopping bits off you are open to disease.  My method I am confident will give you 100% tuber keeping or very near.  In any average winter out of say 50 - 55 tubers stored I would not expect to lose more than 1 or even 2 ifunlucky.  Could you read my sheet again with a completely open mind and see how it reads thereon.  Then I'd be interested to read your reply.  This is why I clearly state these are my methods.  Incidentally, I attended my County dahlia societys agm about 5 years ago and the speaker described tuber storage and bingo it was the method I had been using for 2 years already.  On a seperate note regards supplementary feeding most growers in my County use Chempak.  For years I have used Maxicrops products.  I always 'think outside of the box' and ask why a method is carried out and if there is a better one.

Trust this helps.

Regards, Paul