I have grown full size 4 ft dahlias in a pot, but perhaps 5 gallon vs three (foot tall x 14" diameter.) Not sure on gallonage. Works just fine if you water more often than garden-grown plants.

Be sure to drill holes in the bottom of the pot, or you might try drilling holes in the side of the pot a bit up from the bottom. Also, do not use only soil from your garden. A good soil mix is 4 parts sifted garden soil, 4 parts a peat/perlite mix(like promix or sunshine mix) Or 2 parts coir and 1/2 part perlite, plus 2 parts perlite, plus 2 parts vermiculite, plus 2 parts sand. I use sand used for pool filtering, and either white of brown is o.k.. Brown is cheaper and equally as good. Ask for ripped bags--offer them 1/2 price!and take a container with you) Also, use equal parts of a water soluable fertilizer, and Epsom Salts (from the drug store). ES is wonderful, and if you test some you will be happily surprised. NOTE: Do not put your pots on hard-top of any kind. (Lumberyards and always willing to give away pallets.) This suggestion was given to me by an excellent, knowledgable nurseryman. Good Growing.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.

No it can't be done. LOL
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Here's what I did. We didn't complete a planting area in time for this year so I used old wheel rims from trucks. They do have holes in the bottom but are not very deep. I did use good soil and manure and am watering 2 times a day since the temp. has been between 95 and 100 for the last 3 weeks. It seems to be working out just fine.

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Many seem to be opening in the last week or so. I'll be posting more pictures soon. Meanwhile, there's one I will post that looks pretty weird Grandma's Lemon Pie.

Good grief Mactavish! You have put such care into your "My page." With the beautiful setting, rest areas, gardens, and widely available pet therapy, I imagine I will dream about it tonight! Just stunning. Why would you ever want to take a vacation?

Where, roughly, are you located that you are getting the 90-100 degrees now? One week ago it was 104 here, 108 the day prior. Today, I never took off a sweatshirt and had fleece over that for much of the morning. 50 degrees cooler this a.m.- quite a welcome cool front for us in the NW.

Thanks poochella for the kind comments. I did the "my page" a couple years ago when others on the Hosta Forum were updating theirs. We hosta people are a bunch of fanatical nuts really!! The only other forum I saw with as many pictures was the rose forum. I should probably add a few things since in two years there have been even more changes.

As far as going on vacation, we actually never do. I can't and don't want to leave the garden in the summer, besides, everyone comes here.

I live in central BC at the top of the Okanagan valley. This valley extends down into Washington state and Spokane. We are above the small town of Canoe which is outside of Salmon Arm. The lake in the pictures is Shuswap. BC and the pacific northwest has set record temperatures lately with the heat. It is not unusual for us to get these high temperatures in the summer but it is unusual how long it's been going on and how the nights haven't cooled off. Personally, I love the heat and thankfully have plenty of water.

Mctavish, now that's what I call turning chickens***t into chicken salad. Poochella, you're a darling as usual (I'm a lurker on this forum). Your advice is red letter gospel. Thanks.

Hi Mctavish:

That's some mighty clever planting you've done. You've turned that slope into a lush patchwork quilt of color. Thanks for posting the picture.

I've been through Salmon Arm many years ago en route from the midwest US to our NW location. I should have known you were up there in similar heavenly surroundings. It's just gorgeous.

Veryzer, you're too kind. I don't know about red letter gospel; red flag warning might be more like it, but I keep trying and learning from those more in the know.