Batch # 1 sound like good candidates for Saran wrap to maintain whatever moisture remains in the tubers. Sometimes those rubbery ones can still rebound come Spring. Storing in peat would be the kiss of death.

Google "No Fuss Dahlias" and the saran wrap article will come up first. If you're not inclined to try that, I'd store in vermiculite and keep watch on the moisture level of the medium over the winter months. Mist periodically if needed.

Batch #2 If you ordered dinnerplate dahlias in spring that were 8 inches tall and didn't bloom, get a full refund or replacements from Vessey's. They sound like they didn't have a chance from the start and certainly didn't grow as they should have. Not your fault at all.

here's a cut and paste of a recent review of Vesey's dahlias
On October 9, 2008, mallika_1 toronto
(Canada) wrote:
Ordered for the first time, but will NOT order ever again because:
- tiger lilies were all white, not the multi colour indicated in the catalogue
- the 'dinner plate dahlia' flowers were no where close to a dinner plate - was a mere1.5 inches across
-the calla lilies - have never given me a single bloom, and the plant has stayed an 8 inch tall bunch of green leaves
- the tube rose bulb - did not sprout at all
- am thoroughly disappointed since I have a great garden and do take real good care of all my plants - but this order from Vesey's is very very disappointing
- on a positive note, the customer service is very friendly, and I got a refund on the a portion of my order
- I rather shop at a local nursery for great plants for a fraction of Vesey's price

Thanks very much for the advice, I am going to try the saran wrap tip with the first bunch...

The second bunch I am still not convinced it was not my fault, they where planted late, and in very small containers and probably not in very high quality soil or suffered a fair amount of drought... I seem to have harvested a few good tubers so perhaps I will be able to overwinter... I also cut the tops off and have planted them with rooting hormone, so maybe I can grow them on in a window with extra light over winter...

I am not overly thrilled with my vessys experiance, it seems they charge about as much as a nursery would for a plant that is established, not just the root or bulb... oh well, live and learn I suppose!

FWIW, I had a number of varieties that did not bloom but did produce tubers. Some I will not grown on, as I don't believe their not blooming was my fault (e.g. I don't want to give them another chance.) A few I will try again becuase I broke their stem or believe rabbits did it.

Make a note to yourself so you can know whether a non-blooming variety is worth it next year.

Cheers,
Russ

I would like to say thanks for the advice... This is where we are sitting a few weeks later and I am a little more optomistic.

The ones from my mother in law that where dehydrated are looking better. I think about 80% look like they are going to make it. I took the clumps, broke them up a bit, discarded the worst, then soaked the remainder in a sink with a cup of bleach for about 20 min. Then I rinsed them off and soaked them for a couple more hours with some No Damp. After, I patted them dry and packed them in a cardboard box filled with pine shavings. (Same type used for small animal cages). I just checked on them, and some have really rehydrated very nicely, there are no signs of mold or fungus, so I decided to just soak them for a few hours again today and repack them away back into the fridge. Seems that being able to breath but being moist is helping most of them to recover.

The others from Vesseys with really small tubers, I took 2 plants and planted them in two 2 gal pots filled with peat and put them in a south facing window. They seem to be doing really well with some new growth. The rest of the bulbs I prepared for storage similar to what I did with my mother in laws dyhydrated bulbs, only I put them into large ziplocks with wood shavings and up into the unheated attic. I just checked on them and they are doing really well. So... I'll leave them for now.

I think it is going to be a long winter!! Probably check on them every 2 weeks and then pot them up and grow under lights in January... Perhaps blue light?

FWIW, I have always used full spectrum lighting. I'm not so knowledgeable to be able to say which type of light would be better for each stage of growth. Full spectrum does it all so I don't have to think about it.

Cheers,
Russ