Growing Dahlias in Containers

Can anyone offer any advice about starting dahlias indoors? I've noticed that HD already has spring bulbs and tubers in stock and I'm tempted to buy some dahlias to get a head start this year. I live in Zone 5 (Chicago burbs) and have a large, sunny 3-season room in which to get started. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Good question Weasel. I dragged my DH to a local plant show last week and he bought half a dozen Dahlias. I would also like to try starting them indoors and leaving them in pots outside for the summer.
Anyone have any experience with this?

I've had some success with growing this dark leaf short variety in a pot for a couple of years, It's name is Silentia (or something like that).
I'd have reservations about growing anything other than a minature sized dahlia in a pot.

Grew mine in pots last summer.............gonna "ground" them this summer, as I will have a place for them. I wasn't impressed by them in pots.........didn't start to bloom till it was about time to put them in the greenhouse. I hope they did ok..........I exhumed them from the pots and put them in another big pot with alot of peat moss. Spose I should dig around for signs of life. :>)