Most instructions call for dahlias to be planted in full sun. I planted mine in an area that gets about six hours of direct sun which is the best I can do in the middle of a wooded lot.

I started my dahlias indoors about six weeks before I set them out in mid-May and they are the saddest looking plants I have ever seen. They look fine in the early morning but after an hour or so in the sun the leaves wilt and the plant droops. I have had to rig up screens made of garden fabric to protect them from direct sun and then they seem to be happy.

Am I doing something wrong? Do dahlias need to be coddled this much?

Sounds like they were not hardend off or used to sun, so now they are in shock.

How tall are they? You could cut off the tops to reduce transpiration. All in all they should get better in a week or so.

I started mine in pots as well but had them on a sunny balcony for at least 3 weeks, rather 5 I think. Moved them inside on very cold nights. I don't have a grow light, and thus they grew very compact.

No problem transplanting them.

They do like sun, get more energy for flowers in full sun. 6 h should be ok.

Some cultivars bleach in full sun, but good ones dont. They definetely grow more compact in full sun, so you probably have more effort with staking.

As to watering: what soil do you have?

When I grew Dahlia on sandy soil, I watered or drenched them once or twice a week. They would droop around noon and perk up in the afternoon.

Now I garden on heavy soil, they hardly droop. Last season I watered about five times, only after they didn't bounce back in the evening.

Mine often look a bit wilty during the heat of the day, but bounce back - don't screen them more - 6 hours of sun is minimal.

This is my first year too so I expect a few mistakes, good luck! Thankfully Dahlias seem pretty hardy actually--less fussy than some plants!