At the end of the season I made the mistake of not dividing the plant. The tubers had grown into several plants and should have been divided. It grew itself to death (sounds silly, I know) the following year. Unless dahlias are divided, regardless of the growing zone, the ball of tubers can't get sufficient nutrients to survive. People will notice fewer and fewer blooms and attribute it to something other than the true cause - they do need to divide dahlias.
Name: Joy Wooldridge Kalama, Wa. (Zone 8b) Sunset Zone 6, Heat zone 4,
Thank you Pirl. I learned something new today. I grow my Dahlias in pots and usually just pot on when they start over-taking their space. No wonder they don't bloom as they should! I should be dividing them instead.
No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson
Name: Joy Wooldridge Kalama, Wa. (Zone 8b) Sunset Zone 6, Heat zone 4,
Mine are so big now, some are even getting buds on them. So I'll have to wait until the fall now, or next spring. But they're getting divided before the next growing season for sure!
No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson
