This year anything goes.

I agree with Oscar, anything goes. I have blooms on 1' tall plants that were at least 5' tall last year when blooming. Some of my early bloomers last year have not even bloomed yet and some plants probably won't bloom because they are still so small.

Linda

Thanks. I don't share the same region as you. Is this because of heat, drought, a combination?

I guess what you're saying, though, is don't despair of saving the tubers for a good show next year?

ALL dahlia growers experience this at some point.

MY rule of thumb is give them at least TWO years, sometimes 3. I've 'waited out' low or non-performing dahlias and 3 years later they are a workhorse!

This year I moved Loverboy from a container (where it had given me only 3-5 blooms each over the last 2 years) because it just looked anemic and only grew 2-3 feet high to soil only 20 feet away and it has exploded with dozens of lovely large red blooms on a 4 1/2 ft plant.

So there is hope!

I don't know what the reason is for the lacking performance this year but it has been a very hot summer for me with July being extremely hot. We never get much rain in the summer but I do keep them well watered.

Linda

We have had a lot of rain here. The weather has been very warm for us also. The season started a month a head of time, but I think the heat slowed every thing down. I had my first bloom a month before I ever get bblooms. But now I have a few plants that I will be lucky to see any blooms at all. This is Iam a hottie.