I have about a hundred dahlias this year so my solution will not work for even me. But you could put some of your dahlias up in big wooden flower pots. I have about ten dahlias planted that way.

Man, I'd be seeing RED! Sorry to hear about that!

I'm so sorry! I'd be sitting outside with a shotgun after seeing that. I'll bet it was a groundhog...they can probably squeeze into a small space like that. Do deer like dahlias?

Oh no, pd! Did they eat the dahlias or just cut them off leaving the tubers intact? I'm also very sorry for this setback. If they left the tubers, maybe you'll get regrowth.

penarosa, we have deer all year here, right in the yard or woods. Although they have nibbled my berries 2 ft from dahlias, and perennials 20 ft across the driveway from there, they have never eaten so much as a leaf of a dahlia. Others say deer will eat dahlias. Rabbits don't last long here because of predators, but I don't think they eat my dahlias either, on the rare occasions we see one.

pd, I'm so sorry for your mayhem after such anticipation.

They did not eat the tubers. Just ate the leaves to the ground. When this happens and the new shoots come up, do you follow the same procedure and pinch out the middle when they get high enough? That is hopeful thinking. I put out three traps. Caught chippies. I than filled the 3 holes I have found. we will see what happens. I also have been planting too deep again. Had to dig down to find a Pam Howden which I really wanted to see. She had dropped down about 8 to 10 inches. I carefully lifted her and hope she will be all right. Thank you all for your thoughts. You all know how much work we all put into this.

Yes, I would still top/pinch out the leader growth.

If they regrow, the eye may very well send out several shoots instead of the original single. You can break all but one off, or let them all grow. I'll cross my fingers for you that you get something for your efforts. Good idea to lift the deeper tubers up too.

RIP Chippies :) Since we started keeping our cats indoors, the chipmunks are living the highlife here, but not in the gardens.

I have had chipmunks do that here, in Southern Ontario. It seems that they have moved over to my neighbour's house across the street. He is inundated with them, and I haven't seen any..... yet.

Hoping for the best for you, pdshop.

Last night I decided to check on some dahlias that I had not seen yet. I think they were planted too deep. Well I dug down to three which I got at the same place and they were all rotted. Two more were gone completely. I fired off an e-mail to Swan and they are shipping me more tubers. I should have asked for plants. So maybe I will have something in that area. I wonder if bone meal would make them rot? We have had perfect dahlia tuber weather here and I have not had any water in the areas. Strange. I am having a frustrating year.

I believe that I have replaced about 6 so far this week which have turned to mush around the stem dirt level. The plant just falls over. The tuber is solid. Some of those I had just purchased as well. I feel your pain, pdshop.

Yikes! My condolences as well.