Once the nets and stakes have been removed and put away for winter, the job of digging up 16,000 dahlia tubers can begin. As our soil was very light , we only ever used spades for lifting. Our thinking was that if any tubers were encountered, then they would be cleanly cut through by the spade. Rather than being pierced by a fork, which may leave damaged tubers, which may be left unnoticed and then cause damage to other tubers in storage.