I'm in Atlanta and this is my first year trying to grow dahlias. I started with 9 different bulbs (from Connells), followed their growing instructions, and used containers. Lost a few in the growing process but have learned so very much on this forum. My dahlias on one plant just started blooming last week. Gorgeous "Golden Heart". I see buds on most the other plants. I hope they will bloom before GA gets it's first frost. Like calpat, mine are late bloomers and I'd love to know why, if anyone has any theories.

Calpat, do you leave your tubers in the ground? I'm able to do it here and maybe yours will survive their late start.

I dug tubers one year and didn't get one that would grow the following season. Have been advised by people who live close by that I really don't need to dig them as we don't get heavy, harsh frosts. Guess it time to just learn from experience! Pat

You do need to dig & divide though or the size & quality of your blooms will go downhill in a few years- also the clumps will be huge & unmanagable.
Sometimes dahlias taken from one climate to another will bloom later for a few years but then start to bloom earlier.
It sounds like you didn't have eyes, calpat- they would have grown if eyes were there.

theras garden, There are also some dahlia varieties are just slow to bloom- period. You could try to start them earlier in pots to get a jump on the growing season outdoors.

Calpat if you don't have to dig why bother!??? You would probably have better luck digging up your clumps every couple years in the spring and then you'd be able to see where the new shoots are. Just hack the clump in half or quarters, trim off any ugly rotted tubers, dust the cuts with fungicide and replant them. Wish I could do that!

Plantlady, I have a clump that just spent its 6th or 7th season in the ground. It used to be a regular robust 4 ft dahlia which declined in size and bloom every year. Last year there was one skimpy bloom, and this year there is nothing but many 18 inch tall wimpy stems, not even stalks, no flower, a couple tiny buds. What you say has been proved positive for me by that little experiment. I have several of that variety so just left it in as a test. I dread digging it up!

Poochella,
Your many words of wisdom in this forum are taken to heart. I very much appreciate your experience and suggestions (esp. your post with the dividing pics).
I planted in pots as soon as I could after receiving my shipment this year (late April/early May) but I'll certainly start my divided tubers next spring much earlier.
As a general question, has anyone ever tried layering spring bulbs and dahlia tubers? I might experiment next spring with a pot or two.

Thank you all for suggestions and your expertise! I think I'll just leave the tubers in ground this season as they are starting to bloom. Crazy weather here as in most of the country. We're still in the mid 80's & all my gardens think it's spring. I've even got daffodils poking up!