Engrgirl, there can be a great deal of variation in bloom times from one dahlia to another. I grew 30 different dahlias here in CO this year, and the first bloom on one of them was around the end of July. Another one, treated identically didn't offer the first bloom until mid-September, with the others falling in between. It was a season with a late start because of lots of cold rain in May, so I didn't get them out until late May. I agree with cici that more shade will only make your problem worse. Did you remove the plants from the pots when you planted them? I've had good success in past years by starting the tubers in big 2 gallon pots, drilling lots of holes in them to allow big roots to make their way out, and setting pot and all into the ground at planting time. I would recommend digging some balanced fertilizer into the soil at planting time, especially in new, sandy soil that doesn't already have anything in the way of nutrients. I have well drained soil and have to water my dahlias almost every day. It's also a good idea to put your supports in the ground at the same time as your dahlias. I use five-foot long rebar. If your plants were already flopping over to the ground at two - two and a half feet, it sounds like they were either already stretching to reach more sun or subjected to a lot of wind. If your soil is really sandy, it may not be holding the water and nutrients well enough for the plants to make use of them, in which case some added organic material such as peat moss or shredded leaves worked into the soil might help. I hope you may find some of this helpful.

Awesome, Mike! It's a joy to see blooms! Congratulation on your success with making your trees healthier! They certainly love the attention and the changes you made!! Bravo!! Laura

A great way to start your season, Brad! Wasn't it a crazy spring in Kentucky? Here, they said yesterday that April was the 2nd coldest on record, and May was the warmest. I had seen just a few days before that May was going to be the 8th warmest on record. Guess those last few days were really warm. And they were, come to think of it.

Thanks! I had some rudbeckia transplanted late last year that didn’t bloom, but it looks geared and ready for this year. I’m hoping if I get them in the ground soon enough this year that they will put on a show.