Yes, my dahlias are growing slow this year and I lost alot to rot! I have some 5 feet tall and some 2 feet? I have blooms on the slow growing plants so hang in there you should have some blooms. I started some inside this year and those are doing great lots of blooms, I'm going to start as many as I can inside next year:) Cindy

Hi. The ones that I started in February inside and transplanted in March and April are as much as 6' high. The ones that I planted in June are as you described. None look super healthy.

Thanks guys. Hope my dahlias can sprint through this month and produce something for September or October. I'll remember to start earlier next year.

Out of curiosity, what happens to the ones that don't quite make it before frost? Can I dig them up and try to get them to bloom from a container?

I've dug up ones that never made it in the fall along with my others. sometimes they produced tubers that I could divide and plant the following year.

I had some last year that never bloomed and did not make more tubers. I stored them overwinter, then started them inside now their blooming. I was really happy that one of them was sir alf ramsey, the bloom is so pretty:) Cindy

Dahlias seem to have minds of their own. Sometimes one of my many dahlias starts to sprout and then 'goes to sleep' for seemingly weeks. No growth, no buds, no nothing. Then sometimes WHAM - they start producing for seemingly no reason and sprout like weeds. Granted, I live in a tough environment for sun loving plants (the FAR western section of San Francisco - where I have not seen the sun more than 3 days since mid June)so I usually chalk it up to the fog.

I have noticed though that first year tubers never seem to like my yard/environment and about 25% never make it. It could be that yours are just adjusting to your yard.

I would caution however that Swan Island is adamant about not using nitrogen once the plants have sprouted or are about to bloom. Your 12-4-8 means you gave them 2-3 times as much nitrogen as phosphate and potassium - a huge no no. I followed their advice this year and used a 0-10-10 and I have had my best crop of dahlias in years. And I repeat - we have had 2 days where the sun even showed up (late afternoon) in July, so for mine to prosper in this weather HAS to be due to the food regimen I followed. (Because I have 8 first year dahlias and though 2 rotted, I've got beautiful blooms from the remaining 6.)

My dahlias made it! It's mid-September and mighty late--, but my dahlias have had their first bloom! Using a high nitrogen fertilizer in the first few months while they were still developing leaves didn't seem to deter it from sending up lots of buds, although I'm not sure the effect it had on their size. The ones I have are about 3 to 3.5" in diameter, which perhaps is a bit on the small side. I guess I will see next year after I modify my gardening techniques.

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I collected tubers last fall from great plants, but planted late (end of May). We've had a LOT of rain and so far I see no sprouts (except one that got left in the ground). Should I replant at this late date or plant in pots. I hate to have the tubers go to waste--I'd plant just to have them bloom next year if that would work. I'll never dig them again! Thanks.

Where are you at, bethesue? There are so many different climates where people are trying to grow dahlias! I would suggest you gently dig up a few of your tubers and inspect them. Are they rotting in the ground? Or are they making nice roots down there and just starting to grow upwards below the surface?

When you say you "collected tubers" last year, I wonder whether they were cut properly with growth eye still on the tuber? If not they will never grow. So many reasons why they may not be doing as expected...do you want to give more information?