I'd just plant them all and see what happens. There are dahlia gardens at the conservatory in Golden Gate Park that are simply planted close together. There are no stakes except for the name tags. They pretty much hold each other up from being planted en masse.

The height of Dahlias vary quite a bit. It depends a lot on the amount of sun, the soil and the fertilizer. Quite a few Dahlia sellers don't even list the height because of this.

I have actually heard of people planting 4 to a stake! but I can't quite understand how that works. I single stake each one, but mine grow extra tall due to only 6 hours of sun.

Oh and by the way - congrats on the new purchases - You will be in dahlia heave in late summer/fall

Hi fleegle96
that`s an impressive graphic, I like that kind of stuff.

Just hope that your growing season is long enough for all the great Dahlias.
I only have Zingaro from your list, but new for me too.

what is your main aim with those Dahlias: cut flowers, great display in the garden...

(I assume that someone producing a detailed graph as you is not content with just: plant and see what happens)

-spacing: depends, taller cultivars about 3 feet apart, dinner plate varieties can get very big, so those even wider. Sounds like you have plenty of space. They grow healthier if they get more space and good air circulation.

-arranging:
personally I try to combine cultivars that go well together, like warm yellow and oranges, pale pink with purple, white and pastels.

definitely a matter of personal taste, but a point worth considering.

height: tall in the back row (northern side...) so they don`t cover/shade shorter varieties.

lay out of beds:
for low maintenance straight rows for easy hoe access, path ways to move between them.

for a fancy display the lines could be wavy or something.

Staking/ support
how many do you have altogether? professional growers often use some kind of net to support whole areas. Looks very technical.
Otherwise sturdy stakes/poles, IME one or two per plant. I had some plants break because I used too flimsy bamboo canes, which snapped or bent at some point.

With dinner plates it is advisable to stake each single flower head, they can snap in a rain or gust of wind.

plants get bushier if you cut off the tip when they are about knee high, over the third or fourth set of leaves, get more and smaller flowers. (so, perhaps just try it on some plants)

guess what, I ordered from a certain island as well, after discovering that they ship to overseas as well. and their shipping fee is just twice of that from a local nursery (very attractiv milage-cost-ratio IMO...)

and if you can spare the time do make notes. so later you can fine-tune or edit your collection, cull the dull or whatever-ones.

Have a great Dahlia season, bye, Lin

Thanks for all the feedback! I think my goal is a cut garden, and now I'm up to 40 varieties (and those are just of the big-guns - there are a few smaller ones going into pots that aren't on the list! When everything went on sale yesterday I made one final purchase.

I hope to update this post with photos once they go in the ground and start blooming! :)

Gorgeous, gorgeous graphic. How perfect. you should contract out your services, I'd use you!

this may sound cheesy, but go to marthastewart.com and check out some of her staking videos. she makes a nice looking staking frame with string that doesn't look like it would stick out like a sore thumb in your beautiful cutting garden. I never thought I would ever recommend that, but YOLO...

BTW I "may have gone overboard" this spring, too - I think I'm up to four orders from AmericanMeadows and a couple of other sources. It's too late now, just time to plant and pray!

Nice! I have the Cherish and the L'Ancresse too! First year growing them, put them in the ground around the second week of May and they're getting big. I have about 40 this year, ordered six from Swan Island, my oldest one will be 4 this year. Usually I space them all around my garden, I dont do just one big patch, but I'd like to in the future, but when I do plant them closer together I usually do a foot spacing, just make sure they have room to bush out because they will and make sure to steak :) sounds like an awesome list cant wait to see pics!

I wasn't sure if I should start a new post, but I figured I'll just keep updating this one for now...

All of the tubers (ahem... a total of 56 of them) ended up in the ground a few weeks back. We are FINALLY starting to get some warmer weather here in Central Mass, so I'm sure that's helping things along. I swear when I looked in on the "babies" this morning they weren't as tall as they were tonight!

Let's see if I can do this multiple photo thing:
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This is my garden in the front yard. Originally planned on 24 tubers out here... I think a few extra went in that were on the short side.

Next are the ones that have a decent amount of growth. First up is Zippity Do Da:
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Gonzo Grape:
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Brookside Snowball and Gitts Crazy (sorry for the blur):
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Dad's Favorite:
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Joy's Joy:
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Awe Shucks:
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and Pipsqueak:
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Green is a pretty color but I can't wait til I see some real color!!! :)

looks wonderful-about that cigarette butt-dahlias are prone to tobacco mosaic virus

Where do you see a cigarette butt?

Any update on your garden? I just started this Spring and one of mine is taking 4 bamboo stakes. It is a monster, but love the flowers.

I've been posting in a different thread. Oops!! Plus, I need to go add a new one! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: State of the garden