I have had better luck with the smaller blooms rather than the giant dinner plate size for not having to stake. Some also have much stronger stems than others. Dahlias are iffy for me and I am currently down to just one, fortunately it is a strong one. I plan to get some new tubers this spring from a local dahlia farmer, and instead of being driven by the beautiful bloom photos, will question their growth habit more thoroughly. I've also had some luck interplanting Sweet Annie with dahlias to lend some additional support (and feathery contrast).
