Here is a photo I took to ask what was going on with the bottom leaves, but you can see the stake and elegant panty hose tie securing the "trunk" to the stake. I later had to tie the branch/stalk to the front and right of main stalk too, or it would have broken off. I had to add a 7 ft stake too: as this plant reached over 6 ft. Keep adding ties to secure stalk to stake about every 18 inches or so up the ht of plant. {{gwi:638489}}

Here are what I will concede are ugly stakes after plants have been growing for about 8 weeks. I use panty hose or t shirt strips as ties; they stretch, flex in the wind and you can never have enough of them in a windstorm.
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Here, on some shorter varieties and other plants, you can see stakes, but I am always too busy with the flowers or watering to worry much about seeing them.
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And here in the height of the season, I defy you to spot on ugly stake! ( Photo not intentionally blurred LOL)
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I have ample cedar stakes and until they all rot or break, I will continue to use them as they serve their purpose well. I have too many plants to buy tomato cages and modify them all, but others like that method.
Pooch

Hmm Poochella,

Gorgeous garden and the beautiful dog really added to your garden. :-)

I think I'll try tomato cages, since I already have a few on hands. Might ask my neighbor across the alley too. She has a huge pile of them sitting there for years. I think, with tall plants, I'll just use the tomato cages upside down without removing the legs.

I also have several bamboo stakes. Might make a few tepees with them.

I have three tall dahlias that get between 5-7' each year. I tried the round tomato wire cages but they were ugly bare metal and not quite wide enough. Now I use the triangular tomato cages of green-coated wire. HD sold them for $7/ea a couple of years ago. The green disappears amongst the foliage, and they are strong enough (and big enough) to hold those stems up. If any escape it's easy to tie them to the wire caging to keep them from flopping. One of my dahlias gets so large I drove a green-plastic coated stake into the ground, inside one corner of the cage, and tied them together because I didn't want to risk the whole thing falling over just from the weight of the plant! The cages go into the ground the standard 6" so for most dahlias they're perfect, but this particular plant needed dividing as it must have been 6' around, so I did that this winter and will remove the stake, as I don't think it's necessary any longer.

I only have one short bedding dahlia 'Bishop of Llandroff' (can you tell urban gardens in Northern CA aren't very large, lol?) and I use two bamboo hoop stakes, crossed in an "X". Looks good even out of season and works great, decorative but not obtrusive.

I actually leave them up all winter long because the green wire just kind of disappears into the background. The cages have been a great buy since they are infinitely reusable.

I was going to try Steaks and string down a row of dahlias and i've been trying to decide if that will be strong enough....whatyda think?

We tie all the seedlings - thousands of them-- up in rows with stakes -- (don't try steaks or you will attract all the dogs in the neighborhood >;) ) & Christmas tree twine. The twine is available at your local feed store - it works better than sisal because it doesn't stretch in the wet & regular string for beans or sweetpeas isn't heavy enough. See pictures in our "Seedlings" album- page 5. If the plant gets heavy & wants to fall over you just have to tie to the twine on either side of the plant

Here is a link that might be useful: Wynne's albums

Nice photos, Poochella. I use a similar method with the wooden stakes. You certainly have a LOT of dahlia plants. I tend to give a lot away to friends, or the local garden club. You'll be setting up a busines soon, ( if you haven't already)

Oh, BTW, nice pooch, too.