hey susan----i have tried some of the smaller varieties, but they fade away after about three years. maybe this is their life span. i do have one 4" dark red dahlia about 7-8
years old. always has several blooms that need support. don't know the name. wish i had more. i don't dig anything up for overwintering.

wayne

I love growing dahlias in large pots next to the patio, in full sun. The pots seem to do better as I remember to water, feed and pinch them whereas plants in the garden might not receive such "special" attention. Knowing that dahlia corms/roots are quite tender and cannot survive frost in zone 7B-8A in Montgomery, AL, I have tried digging and then holding over for the next spring planting. For 4 years I tried this, and each year the plants became spindly and flowers became smaller each year. I've now decided to spend the $5.00 each year to purchase dahlia roots in the plastic bags from WalMart. Though they don't thrive from year to year, the annual $5 investment is worth it.