Update, wrote OHG, they said to put the tubers into a plastic baggie with a bit of damp peat moss and seal it partially, then put in a warm area. They said that should pop some eyes. We shall see...they also offered to replace or refund if it didn't work which is great.

I have several dahlias that did nothing this year and some that have just started growing. The others that are growing are way too small for this time of the year. I am extremely disappointed with them, since they are my favorite flower. I have to assume that the cool weather in my area(mid-michigan) has slowed the growth since everything is behind schedule.

I have several dahlias that did nothing this year and some that have just started growing. The others that are growing are way too small for this time of the year. I am extremely disappointed with them, since they are my favorite flower. I have to assume that the cool weather in my area(mid-michigan) has slowed the growth since everything is behind schedule.

There are lots of people who love to buy old varieties of dahlias and many of them are very nice. They are a bit trickier to grow and as the previous person says they may not jump out of the ground like many newer varieties. Baby them along and they will give you some very nice flowers. My favorite old one is Sellwood Glory and it is gorgeous. I would also say that any problems with the varieties not growing is more related to the fact they are so old than the company. The tubers actually come from a large dahlia farm that grows them for Old House Gardens. These old varieties are just a bit less vigorous than modern ones.

I'm still waiting but so far nothing has happened with the baggie trick or even outside of it. I dug out one of the ones I left in the ground and it has literally done nothing, not even grown one root. Sad because I got a few really beautiful varieties that I was excited to see bloom. Next year I'll get 2 tubers of each just to hopefully have a backup.

I'm having the same issue with a few (2 out of 5) of the Swan Island dahlias I got at their clearance sale, nothing is happening. Ironic because the most expensive purchases I made this year were at Old House and Swan and they have the highest rate of failure so far.

I'll console myself with the other oh..40+ plants I have growing and try again next year. :)

BTW Sellwood looks beautiful, may try that next year.

I'm curious which ones didn't bloom for you from Old House - I have a couple myself that aren't coming up: Lambada, Midnight Moon and Ryan C - Ryan C ended up turning into pure mush :(

Hi, mine from OHG which did not grow were the Deuil du Roi and Surprise--still nothing and are slowly softening.

Also from Swan Island I got Innocence, Fuzzy Wuzzy and Brushstroke all which did nothing and now also are softening. I got the Swan Island ones in the clearance sale so I have no idea maybe they were leftovers with a lower success rate. I plan to email and see if I can get a credit for next replacements in spring or something.

Funny, all the tubers I ordered from OHG are growing like gangbusters except Deuil du Roi! I was especially looking forward to it, but they did have some dahlia crop failures this year due to the harsh winter and I wonder if this cultivar was affected. I am not going to try to the baggie trick this late in the season, but I have requested a replacement for next spring, which they happily offered.

As one who has bought from almost a dozen different vendors or stores over the years, it would NOT likely be the vendor, as Ted said. I have had tubers from at least 8 vendors where some grew and some didn't and ordered once from a grower and perhaps 60% that they sent never panned out.It's just part of the game with dahlias. Annoying, but not preventable.

I ordered a Hottie years ago that grew but never bloomed, the next year it hardly even grew but bloomed a couple of weak blooms, last year it was a dud before I dug up a 3x10 foot patch and put brand new soil and fertilizer in it and replanted the tubers. All did spectacular this year except Hottie. I finally tried to dig up the tuber and it had vanished! (Couldn't stand the good soil I guess)

All to say you pay your money and take your chances. But I wouldn't put the blame on Old House - there is no benefit for a grower to knowingly send duds out or risk getting a rep for bad tubers.

Yup I will def try again next year with OHG. I really want to see Deuil so fingers crossed next year is better luck!