u/dangerousfeather

I am growing dahlias from seed for the first time, because I found a variety I am SUPER EXCITED ABOUT ("diablo") and have never seen locally.

The problem: I've never been able to have dahlias as anything other than annuals, because I have nowhere to store tubers. I'd love suggestions as to what I can do to change this, so I know whether to keep most or all of these seedlings, or sadly put the majority out on my roadside stand for the community to enjoy.

The problematic factors:

• We have cold winters with potential for subzero temps and prolonged deep freezes. (USDA has officially declared us now in zone 7a, but subzero temps happen most winters no matter what they say.)
• I have no attic, and my basement is wet wet wet (mid-1800s stone walls on a creek).
• My shed is aluminum with old broken windows, and is therefore no warmer than the outside.
• My house was built before closets.
• I have no spare refrigerator. I also have no electric to the outside of the house to put one in the shed.
• I do have a little greenhouse, but it's from ALDI and not likely to keep anything significantly warmer than outside.
• I can't even get extreme and dig a little "dahlia root cellar," as the valley sits on a bed of shale, slate, and apparently all of the leftover rocks from building the Appalachians. It makes for some super neat finds -- I'm making a slate walkway with what I've dug up while putting in garden beds, and have almost enough fieldstones and quartz to build a low garden wall (plus the treasure trove of old handmade clay bricks I unearthed...!) -- but I broke two shovels just trying to plant creeping thyme last week.

Worst case scenario, I can take them to work and put them in the barn's feed room, which is kept between 33 and 40 degrees through the depths of winter. But there's every chance they'll get mixed up with the tubers the boss keeps in there, as we both have ADHD and chaotic gardening habits.

But if anyone has clever solutions to share, please do!