check the dahlia forum. they have so much knowledge it will make you burst into flames.

I love my dahlias. Most dahlias will come with a bit of stem. On the stem, near the tuber are "eyes". These are where the new shoots will come from. Some people, who think they are tidying up the tuber, will cut these off but they won't get the plant. The eyes are the important thing. The eyes go up, the roots go down. If you planted the roots downward, then you are doing it correctly.

I note that you are from Ontario. If you are anywhere near Rockwood, I may have some extra dahlias left over. I particularly like the tall varieties.

Thanks for the offer jroot. I am in Ottawa, so pretty far away. This is my first time trying Dahlias, I love Zinnias so I am sure I will like the full look of Dahlias, if I get them to grow of course. I will visit the Dahlia forum. Thanks.

Dahlias are tubers, just like potatoes. If you have ever grown potatoes before you have a pretty good idea of the planting process. They need eyes to grow into a plant.
The FUN part is digging them up in the fall and seeing how this nice polite little tuber you placed in the ground has turned into a giant alien mass.