Great story, thanks! Although the dinner plates are beautifully impressive, I try to plant dahlias with smaller blooms just for that staking issue. I also find some varieties have really weak stems whereas others are more robust. When all is said and done, though, I am most influenced by the lovely picture on the package and then hope for the best. Dahlias are only marginally winter-hardy (too much rain rather than too cold) for me, so I end up replacing them fairly often.
