They are lovely. I am still pinching! A question for you. I gave my girlfriend whole clumps of my dahlias last winter when I had cut off tubers for myself. She planted the whole plant this summer and some of the plants had 10 or more tubers on them. Her plants are big and beautiful with buds while mine with just one tuber are at the pinch stage. Isn't it better to plant the whole plant to get more flowers and less work?

More plant when you plant the whole clump. But I got single tubers from Cory this year and it is as big and prolific as the clump of another dahlia I planted side by side. My clumps put out more stems than my single tubers. I hope I answered your question and not confused you.

I only pinch when the plant is small, and the stems are not hollow. Once they get larger, I do not pinch. I do dead head though. Mine are blooming well now.