3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Put a tuber or potroot on the bench, when it sprouts and is an inch or so high, cut off, dip in rootone and put in soil or oasis, put a cover on it and wait for 11-21 days. By that time, it will be rooted and can be put in a pot to grow on until ready to go outside. This is a very simplified explanation. Here is where you can find the steps in detail.
Teresa
Here is a link that might be useful: Colorado Dahlia Society
Could be little black aphids. They like to congregate on stalks. Squirt them off with a spray of water either from a hose (don't destroy your stems/stalks) or squirt bottle- simple as that. Which reminds me, I have a crop of them that need attention right now.
Here is a link that might be useful: 
I once had such a congregation on one of my lupins - I was so disgusted I cut the stalk off - but it had already bloomed anyway. I did not know at the time that aphids came in different colors - even red I think. Yes, apparently just spraying them off with a blast of water does the trick.
Anna
Welcome Jen, 'somewhat obsessed' is a fine quality when it comes to dahlias.
Your plant sounds healthy and all I can think to offer is that there are plenty of dahlias that have smaller blooms, and perhaps weaker stems that would tend to face the ground. I had a small-flowered pink drooper whose many flowers would splay all over despite healthy foliage. It was just the nature of that particular variety. It looked like a mum after a rainstorm much of the time.
There are a few darker/reddish foliage (bronze foliage is the term, I think) dahlias. See what color the bloom is and then perhaps someone can name it for you.
Here is a link that might be useful: Could it be Bishop of Llandaff?
When my brugs do that, I give them a shot of 1 tbl epsom salts mixed with a gallon of water. The next week do it again. By then the leaves usually come back.
Do you have spider mites? I noticed this morning that one of my dahlias has spider mites on it. I sprayed it, and gave it the epsom salt treatment, and now wait for it to reguvenate.
You also mentioned that you'd had a lot of rain. This can cause the leaves to yellow. Hopefully the rains will leave you, and come and visit us. We haven't had rain for such a long time......the grass is brown and crisp to walk on. My watering bill is ridiculously high.
Jroot, is it the magnesium in epsom salts that works magic on the dahlia yellowing?
If you just water your gardens, it will surely rain. Based on recent experience. 3.5 inches of rain in just several days. Maybe you could just pretend to water and fool the rain gods.
Geez, now I can only see the first 2 of 4 photos too. When I looked before I could see all four.
I can't get them to show up, even after trying reposting. My personal recommendation for photos: go with Photobucket! Those were stored at Webshots and not nearly as reliable or user friendly.
I can't recall what the 3rd one was like, but numbe 4 was near total magenta with only scant white and was taken very late in October.
Oh good on the rebounding. I definitely have certain varieties that look like they're at death's doorstep in midday sun. I gave them an umbrella during the hottest part of the day and that spares them from the wild wilting.
Yours might benefit from a little shading, but if they rebound, I'd not worry.
The Michigan Dahlia Assoc. literature says DO NOT use Miracle grow types fertilizers. Avoid Compost,Fish fertilizers and high nitrogen water soluables as they promote weak stems,small blooms or no blooms at all. Use high percentage potassium and phospherous such as 5-10-10 or 10-20-20
Hi, I use a variety of foods...ALL organic...NO MIRACLE GRO on anything...Try Whitney Farms all purpose, Dr. Earth, E.B. Stone, MaxSea...I pick at least 2 bucket fulls of blooms every day, and only 1/3 are in bloom at present! I also use a fertilizer called "Oragnic Advantage" which has humic acid in it...OOHHH and I also use compost tea.
I don't know about oakworms. Maybe check the Pest Forum? or google for oakworm solutions/controls.
Better yet, go to the insect forum with a photo to post. Those people are sheer genius when it comes to insect ID and info.
Slug bait I know about and use regularly. Rainy weather, then heat, will mold it or break it down in several days. I just shake down more (I use the pelleted iron-based kind friendly to pets.) Nothing like a good pruning shears for a revenge on the slug...
I have three separate dahlia plants and one is blooming like crazy, the other one's got two or three blooms but the third one only has one that's blooming very very slowly. It's been a couple of weeks I think and it's just halfway open. I guess these things like to keep us in suspense. Although my plant that's blooming a lot is only producing mid-size blooms. So the longer they take, the better the get I think.
This (below) is straight from the wonderful Corralitos Gardens website. I can't imagine not cutting dahlias except on the short garden types. The sight of an aging bloom makes me think "compost pile" and the weight of wet old blooms would lend the plant to breakage of stalks- followed by fewer branches that would give you more flowers.
I say: cut them with wreckless abandon; or controlled abandon at least. :)
Cutting Blooms
Dahlia plants that have blooms removed regularly will produce more blooms than those that have blooms left on the plants. When cutting blooms don't be afraid to take a fairly long section of stem. Plants cut back fairly hard will produce stronger regrowth from further down the stalk than if just the bloom is cut. Dahlias blooms are borne in clusters of three. Some growers choose to remove the two side buds to promote the size of the terminal bud. This is purely personal. You may choose to disbud some plants and leave others to grow naturally. Show dahlias are always disbudded.
If you are not regularly cutting blooms from your plants be sure to at least remove the spent, withered blooms on a regular basis. This is called "dead-heading" and is strongly recommended to reduce disease and unsightly debris on the foliage. Dahlias that are not regularly "dead-headed" may stop blooming entirely, very early in the season.
Thanks very much, Poochella - I guess deadheading in general is a good thing to do - but I'm happy to hear I can cut blooms to bring indoors, thereby encouraging even more to develop.
Anna_lisa - I am happy to meet you - I will send you an email for sure. I am very new to dahlias, but am addicted in just a short while. Talk to you soon - and thanks.
Anna