Regarding light requirements of dahlias, I am finding full/early light isn't all that important in my garden but that the fertility of the bed is more important. When I plant in a new bed - lots of blooms whereas when planted back into a much-used dahlia bed I get very few. I plan on hauling the neighbours old horse manure back this spring for a liberal application to most beds.
On another note, I read somewhere that it wasn't a good idea to put back large clumps whole and that we would get more blooms on small/er divisions. Does anyone follow this 'rule'? Some of my clumps are huge and I keep them like that because I don't have the garden or even winter storage space to be dividing them.

Hi Val, I've often read that dahlia clumps need to be divided, at least, every other year or so. Theory is that the clumps gets so large that the tubers eat themselves out of house and home, preventing a lot of the nutrients from actually going into plant growth/blooming. I grow so many that I don't have near enough room to store clumps. I divide mine every year and definitely agree with the idea that you're better off planting individual tubers or smaller clumps.

My dahlias get very little early morning sun because of the neighbors two HUGE oaks trees. Lots of sun after noon but the plants really wilt on those hot summer days, though they always perk up by morning. Wish I could change the suns direction and have it move west to east. LOL

Great idea about adding the horse manure!

I divide yearly and may try a few two to a hole but unsure of this. I do use my finished compost In the dahlia bed last years mix was fall leaves, goat poo, chicken manure, paper, banana and orange peels, coffee grounds, yard waste, grass clippings and skunky beer. I plan to use what has wintered over this round when I plant and I make sure to fertilize and water off a soaker hose. I have been worried about the length of morning light in the afternoon that while are is flooded in light.

I did have success at the grocery. I got two boxes of the Garden State Bulb company as they were 2/$5 and who can turn down dahlias waiting to hop in ones cart:

Mrs. Eileen - tangerine dinner plate

Crazy Love: not a color I have as I'm not partial to lavender-ish but thought it might be a nice one to work w blending of my other colors.

Who knows if a)they'll bloom b) are who they say they are but you know what? It's spring and grabbing a box locally is always fun. I was able to open each and both look and smell healthy and have white hairy roots going. I have not taken them out yet as I'm waiting for the clinic to call back and tell me they can't accommodate my schedule. I'm an hour away but I'm sure the people who live 10 mins away are taking the prime times as that's how it goes when you live in a podunk and have to receive services in the city. Sorry I'm grumbly. Back to dahlias.

So I will get them out of their packages soon for a good once over.

Dan: I think that's great you had some jump in your cart too. How are your refrigerator bunch doing?

Val: horse poop is good, make sure it's mellowed and they didn't eat something that had been sprayed or treated. Just beware you might end up with a bunch of weed seed - that's how I think I ended up w what we thought was nightshade. Or maybe it was here all along and just took opportunity to grow.

I'm off the phone should ring here shortly!

Scarlet, I haven't made a "bed" as such for Dahlias. I don't trust the lawn mower, or weed whacker. (Or, more properly, the person operating them ! )
I doubt I could have even successfully overwintered them outdoors, this Winter, as snow coverage was prolonged, & both January & February were record precipitation amounts, (Made it into the "Books" being in the top ten,) & any tubers most likely would've rotted, due to such awfully poor drainage in this yard.

So I've kept potted. (One, broke dormancy, much too early.) Yet, I may try my hand, to root a "cutting" of it. Though that's also the better sprout. Not sure, if they'll make more new sprouts, or not, if that's done.

Now, with more tubers, soon on the r way this year, I'm not quite certain how I'll manage to take care of matters. (Pots, beds, a border, storage, etc.)
As there are moles/ voles (& possibly mice ?) that tend to apparently spend their winter, under the house. (Very limited "crawl space", & no access, either !)

I guess Saran wrap storage, will take care of one problem.
Not quite so sure about all the others as of yet, though. Bigger pots, perhaps ? IDK
Though I'm anxious to get the tubers started, & am stuck waiting longer, from Northern sources.

Thanks Dan - that makes perfect sense It was hard to contemplate doing that without understanding the 'science' behind it first. Now what do I do with all those divisions Anyone in Ontario thinking of specializing in dahlias

The horse manure is definitely aged and because we provide the hay and veggie scraps I'm pretty sure it will be good stuff

Shawn: Mine have all been washed, dried, divided; rolled in cinnamon and wrapped in Saran and I keep mine in the darkest coolest corner shelf in my basement in a sterlite crate. Old house, so my basement is about 60-65° which I know can be too warm but they seem to manage. I pitched 3-6 tubers each month when I'd do my monthly check. I've got two more of the stragglers that sprouted so they'll go under the lights and I'll see about cuttings as they grow.

Do you have a friend you can winter them with? Dan and Melissa have some good ideas for winter storage. Maybe they'll post back with what works for them. I know Dan has his in a small fridge this past winter and I'm interested in how that worked.

Val: no, that just means you have more to plant and enjoy

Mrs. Eileen had some white roots but had some small tubers I trimmed off that were iffy. And Crazy Love was a good looking tuber and kind of heavy as tubers go. I potted them up and on my heat mat. I also did some trimming down of really long tubers and am letting them scab over on the cut ends. It's to be 60° here next week and I'm chomping to go play in the dirt.

Hope everyone is doing well. Maybe March will be quick like February and the new tubers will ship soon. I'm an impatient type.

Scarlet, there's a reason why this area near the Chesapeake Bay, as far back as I can recall about this region, used to be called "Tidewater".
Now they've began to sneak in the term " Hampton Roads" instead, which is the name of waterway separating the Peninsula area, & Virginia Beach, or Norfolk area beaches on the Bay. (Where the Iron clad ships Monitor, & Merrimac battled it out, in sight from the shores for hours, during the Civil War.)
Nearly all of us, in the area of about 1.7 million, Do Not, have basements, as they'd simply flood. We are too close, to sea level. Unfortunately.

I'd have to buy a small fridge, to winter store, probably. It's also rather more difficult to grow the darned things in my area. As nights tend to stay too warm, for just too long.

Shawn: I could do without the floods. I know in Detroit there is a grower who rents out winter storage for dahlias and other garden items. Maybe there is something similar by you to look for since you are limited by options. You live in a beautiful area, I've been through it. We loved the tunnels under the water - a bit freaky looking like your driving right out into the waterway but kind of fun. Kid1 was bamboozled by it as they were young. The hubs not so much but he can be too analytical thinking what if's - floods, collapse, a tidal wave. I'm like just drive and out this one thoughts out the window.

I was interested in 'White Icicle', offered by American Meadows, though it was only given ONE star Review, & that was all, with No explanation.
So,I'd be throwing nearly $20. for three clumps, plus extra, (unknown amount) to cover postage & for shipping.

I know I like Star's Favorite' & the newer Van Bourgondien's offers three of those, for about $18. plus shipping.

That'd be $ 36. for two kinds, plus double shipping costs ! Might bring the total, easily up to $56. or more, for just two varieties.
I'm not sure if White"Icicles" is really worth it, or not ! (As I've no idea, about it at all, whatsoever!)

Even if I could locate it, at Dahlia Addict dot com & just get a single tuber. (What fun is that, unless it is a dud, & I found out later, I didn't "Waste" money on it ?)
While I can fully understand why that 'Star's Favorite', is still around, being offered years later ...
(One fimbriate I had wanted, no longer was listed, this year.)
So, I would be chancing it, on getting 'White Icicles', unless I could locate a single tuber.

Well, if it was the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, that's one thing. As they tested the doors, & they Did Not close, when they'd tried. Of course, if flooded, they're useless as a way for a planned escape Route, in event of severe Hurricane ! (They're getting bigger, & stronger, not weaker.)

If it was the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, at night, from the Beach, I can see the lights across the water, stretch for nearly 20 miles.
If the winds get too high, they have to close the CBBTunnel, at a Semi can easily be blown sideways, or much worse.

I'd just like to find both of those Dahlias, from one just one vendor ! (I figure, what's the point in growing ,any Dahlia plant, as an "alternative", if it isn't truly to one's liking.)

What are the tunnels under tge watet Scarlet? I'm less then 90mins inland from the Bay and it sounds like a fun drive to do with the kids once things warm up.

We had flown into DC and stayed w relatives in Southern Maryland on our way to the OBX. We drove over that awful Harry Nice bridge (I think that's it name on the 301 I think?) that thing freaked me out! Anyway when we came down through Norfolk we encountered the tunnels:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=...

Kid1 was 5 and thought it was a blast, the hubs was no thanks!

Oh, so then you Totally Missed Out, on the real Bridge Tunnel, & that's the Chespeake Bay Bridge Tunnel ! (Try nearly 20 miles of driving that, with about three, man made "islands", with underwater tunnels too.

That HRBT is nearly nothing, by comparison. Though it does tend to freak out some people.
As they don't "get it" that they're going "downwards" into it, & need to -Step On- the gas, after they've reached the Middle, or else they slow down everyone else behind them, as they're going "upwards", as in like " uphill" to get out ! Duh.

Caused many an accident, as how do you quickly explain how to properly drive through an underwater tunnel, after they're already suddenly going through it ?

Even ones that travel back & forth (Daily !) through HRBT, for work, may panic, from going into it & then get a claustrophobic reaction, inside it. They may actually put on the brakes so much, it may suddenly cause those people behind them to quickly get rear ended, creating terrible car accidents, & at times- chain reactions. (Then it's a long wait, for them to ever get towed out, from the other end ! )
As most of the area is otherwise, "flat" as a pancake.

I am not even certain, if I were to order now, if I'd get my tubers in good timing, without them already having sprouted too much in the dark, by the time I'd get them.
I think I've probably waited too long, to order any thing else by now, especially if the mail begins to suddenly slow down, too.

Shawn: start looking now at your local Walmart/grocery/home improvement places if you aren't particular with what you end up with

I think I may have located a correct 'Star's Favorite', & looked for certain to be a properly named 'Yellow Star', as I'm usually rather fairly determined, once I've made up my mind.

As for Dahlia seeds, I tried to enter for free a packet, from Erin, at Floret website, there. As she had published a book, "Discovering Dahlias" , I think is the name. I missed out on any of Tubers she had, that I might have liked.
Plus, I was too late for any Ranunculus, or Anemones.

(While, Eden Bros. just seems a bit too pricey, to me !) As there are some I'd like ,(if they were on sale.) Same goes for Dahlia tuber prices, also.
Otherwise, maybe they'd be good for some Zinnia seeds, I'd like to have.

At least I got the order while they were on sale too, the shipping wasn't bad at all, & I selected three tall Phlox, also.
('Amethyst', 'Blue Paradise', & 'Blue Boy'.) Wish they'd had one other purple , I'd like to have. Maybe I can try to eventually get seeds, as Phlox paniculata aren't often sold as seeds.
I've only seen twice, that I can recall. Once, just recently, & the other last time, was... Too
many years ago, to remember !
Um, like maybe 30 years ago (?)

@Melissamaeday: since you are a dahlia encyclopedia - what I'm looking for is a cross in colors kind of like intensity of raspberry punch with darkness like a Thomas Edison. I know I had tried an ivanetti last year but it rotted and you recommended diva. I may be able to trade locally for diva, but I'm looking for one with the above mix of colors leaning into dark with under intensity of color if that makes sense. Any ideas of one I can look at/for in the future?

Like this one, Scarlet?