My opinion is that if you cannot grow Swan Island varieties, which are developed and tested in very warm conditions(Pacific Northwest but they average over 20 days above 90 in the summer and typically exceed 100 degrees a few times each summer), that you may not be able to grow dahlias in your location. Hilltop dahlias is located in a very warm climate. Maybe they have some suggestions although they had a very bad year and may not have much for sale(118 inches of rain in the summer).

Many people who grow dahlias in warm climates expect good blooms only in the last part of the growing season.

Hi Steve,

I know you are familiar with the cubits thread - Jon from Florida grows beautiful Dahlias, maybe more rain than you, but certainly as hot or hotter. You should contact him.

Geof

Thanks Mandolls, I'll contact him and see if he has any ideas. By the way, I did find a list of heat tolerant dahlias that is maintained by the Dalhia Society of Georgia but they don't list vendors and the varieties are scattered among many vendors. If anyone has other suggestions for heat tolerant varieties that are also good cutting varieties I'd find those suggestions helpful too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heat tolerant dahlia varieties

I live in South Carolina my first year growing dahlias was the summer of 2012. I usually buy them at Lowe's or Walmart. They were good till about the end of July when spider mites attack them .
In 2013 I started planting them in the shade of the trees ( luckily we got a lot of trees) that helped them a lot.
I also would love to find local growers/vendors who have heat tolerant dahlias.

July 2012 .My first year of growing the Dahlias .
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July 2013

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I've recently learned of Hilltop Gardens located in North Carolina. They specialize in dahlias and may have more heat tolerant varieties than other vendors. Symi77, I can see how some part shade would help keep your dahlias cooler but don't the tree roots draw too much moisture away from the dahlias?

Last summer we had so much rain I don't have to water my dahlias much and don't worry about the tree roots taking moisture away from the dahlias.
Thank you for the link on Hilltop Gardens .
Maybe I order some dahlias from them.