Digger,
I have had the same problem. Some dahlias (karma's) are worse than others about this short stem. The one that I find a good cut is Serena, a cream color or the new one I tried this year, fushiana. They are very long stems and you usually don't have to sacrifice a flower. I grew a gorgeous pink last year called prospero and it grew exactly like what you're talking about. Very frustrating! Even after taking out the middle flower, the other 2 side shoots still didn't produce a useful cut.I also have a HUGE red that is only slightly frustrating. I am certainly not a dahlia expert, infact I can't even grow them outside, I have to put them in my greenhouse to get a sizeable plant. The ones out in the field are dwarfs and always get attacked by bugs. So in my opinion it seems to be in the varieties. They either have long stems or they don't.
Cheryl

Cheryl, thanks for your reply. I know everyone is busy this time of year so I appreciate you taking the time to answer.

Funny you mentioned the Karmas, because after I posted I did a little more internet browsing and read a rave review of the Karmas and how good they were for cutting, lol! I guess different folks have different experiences. So thanks for mentioning them because now I won't be so quick to buy a ton of them!

Thanks for the other recommendations. I'll look into them. I really only need about 4 or 5 different ones, a few basic colors. The cream Serena sounds lovely, and I'm assuming the fushiana is a fuschia color???

Again, thanks so much for your help!
:)
Dee

I have the same problem but usually find that the second set of stems are much longer. Those longer stems are just now coming out for me. I also read you're supposed to top the plant when it is a foot or 18 inches tall so it will grow longer cutting stems but I have not had much luck with that, it seems to slow everything down so much. It may be that I am too impatient to start using them and if I just wait for those second stems to come out it would be fine. We all live in colder climates and maybe just have to live with a shorter dahlia season than people in Oregon and Washington. You can get around that by using high tunnels and other season extenders but I do not have any of those now.

It does depend on the variety, too. I've grown several of the Karmas. 'Naomi', a dark burgandy red, usually has good stems. I have had mixed results with 'Serena' and 'Lagoon'is usually a disappointment.

We really need to hear from Trish about this - she knows her dahlias and is in zone 5.
Kirk

Kirk, thank you also for taking the time to reply. I have to say that even if my dahlia stems are short, I'm starting to feel better, lol! I always see pictures of these gorgeous cut dahlias here (like Trish's!) and I was wondering why *I* don't have them. At least now I know that others have the same situation and it's not something I'm doing *wrong*. I guess I just have to find the right varieties.

I'll also keep a closer eye out this year to see about those secondary stems being longer. I've already cut off some of the really short-stemmed blooms just to foster new growth, so maybe that will help.

Thank you!
:)
Dee

Although I live in an excellent dahlia area, what I do is take off the two side buds near the flower and the 2nd set on down the stem to get longer ones for bouquets. The more buds removed the more new buds it will set so I do not feel I need to worry about sacrificing these. They are just there for "Insurance" in case something happens to the main bud, so the plant can set seed before it dies. Since we are not letting that happen, disbud early and often! I Have about 120 plants and they are keeping me in more flowers then I can use. About a third of the new ones are not blooming yet because of our cold early spring and summer.

I have one dark wine purple one that is so pretty but sets side buds bout 5" down and then another set about 9" below those. I have to disbud it early or do it when I pick them.
Can't tell you the name...hired garden help (while recovering from getting new knees), and they pulled all the stakes with the name tags before piling on the compost! A little problem I never thought to clear with their boss (THey were non-English speaking) Some "Not too hot" day I will head out there with my dahlia book, catalogs and markers and try to reestablish the name tags! It might be "Imperial WIne". Each petal has a little fringing.

Karmas are beautiful here, but the yellow one opens up to show its eye too soon. I bought the new "Karma Choc" and it is dynamite! A deep red black. Customers love it! I seem to have lost FUchiana over the winter...will have to replace it as it was a mainstay.

Thank you Lizalily for your detailed response. I guess I have to bite the bullet and take some of those buds off, huh? I guess I have to have faith that new buds will form. It's just that by most standards my garden is small, and I only have about a dozen dahlias, so each bloom is important. But, since they're not usable unless I disbud lower down anyway, I suppose I might as well take the plunge and do it.

Thanks for the recommendations too. I'll look into them, especially the Karma Choc.

Thanks so much!
Dee

The only place I found Karma CHoc was white flower farm, I think. I hope it become easier to find!

Ooh, WFF is expensive! I just put their catalog in the recycling because I don't usually buy from them because of their prices. Maybe I should go dig it out, lol!

Thanks!
Dee

Now that the dahlias are in full swing, I thought I'd post a bit of an update.

I took the plunge and tried to be more ruthless in my cutting. I cut further down the stem and did as lizalily did above, and was able to use those cuts. And I did notice, as Kirk said, that the secondary stems were a bit longer, if not as thick.

So, while it was hard for me to sacrifice many buds/blooms, it did work out for me, since I would not have been able to use the shorter ones anyway. And the plants do indeed set new buds fairly quickly. I guess I just needed to be tougher, lol (and, I need to have a few more dahlia plants!)

Thanks,
Dee

dee,
I disbud two leaf sets down from the main flower bud, I need/want those looooong stems. This disbudding will get me the larger blooms that are needed. It also triggers those dormant buds to get growing. This is not scientific, just my observation, but: it seems like the lower on the plant that the new shoots come from, the stronger the new growth is. Also, I fertilize a bit more often with Miracle Grow. Dahlias are heavy feeders and I garden on a sand dune.

This thread reminds me of Grandpa. He had a Meyer Lemon that did NOT produce. If a tree thinks it's dying, it will produce. Therefore, he cut a partial strip of bark off the thing, and it has produced faithfully for 30+ years!!

And the same with peppers. The more jalepenos I pick, the more I get.

It follows that Dahlias will do the same. The quest for survival!

I'm going to try Dahlias, and I ordered some, but I live in a really HOT place. Not sure how they will do, but I think they are beautiful, and I do want the long stems. This is a great thread! I will stay tuned!