Bulbs: Do I let them ALL grow? question about dahlias....., 0 by daisyruffles

daisyruffles wrote:
Sunshines2day,
I have noticed that there isn't a lot of dahlia growers here on DG's either.
I have grown dahlias for several years and I talked with a dahlia grower here in the valley about your question. They sell their tubers and cut flowers at the Farmers Market.
They said you can just let them grow. If you want, you can pinch back each stem when they get their 3-4 true leaves. But they don't do this. They just let each stem grow to produce flowers, especially for their cut flower sales. But if you want only a few very good strong stems and flowers, you can pinch.
I don't pinch. I just let them grow. I don't know if you dig up your tubers each year and that can make a difference too. I don't dig up mine so far. I have left them in the ground in a raised bed and mulch them very high with mint compost and they have survived the winters.
I see you say that you are growing the dahlias in a pot. I have done this too but they do like being in the ground much better for root sytem wise and for constant water too.
I don't know if this helps you or not. But let me know if you have any more questions. I am not an expert but I do enjoy dahlias very much. My grandfather grew them when I was a kid and I loved them then so I decided to grow them myself. I love bringing in the cut flowers and putting them in vases.
Attached is a lousy picture of one of my dahlias from last year. I need to do better pics this year.
Carol