Hi Grace My answer may not help you at all but... I live in Sf and have grown dahlias out in the sunset for years (which is one of the worst environments for growing flowers) and in my opinion, you are causing more work than you need to for yourself. I NEVER have started my dahlias indoors, I never have dug them up for overwintering and I rarely even touch them after they bloom in year one. And I (just being honest) have a yard that is the envy of my friends and neighbors. Even in heavier rain years, I never worry about my tubers and in years like this, I find I have to go out and water in the winter in order for them to get ANY moisture. Do I lose dahlias? Sure do. But not often and usually only when I am lazy and allow the snails to have at em when they start sprouting. But if I lose a few (out of 90+ and counting), it gives me an excuse to buy more tubers the next year! You may well grow beautiful dahlias with all the dedication you are showing but for my money, it is much ado about nothing. Dahlias are hardy and once they get used to their environments, they last forever. And you know well in the sunset we get up to 2-3 months of NO SUN and heavy fog. So if I can grow beauties with little maintenance, I am sure you can also. If you prefer the high maintenance route, go for it. But I think you will find it a full time job because there will ALWAYS be something - mold, rot, lack of water, too much water, snails, too much heat (sun), not enough heat, freezing temps, long foggy months, staking, and maybe , just maybe, the tuber was no good from the get go DESPITE what you do! Good luck. And if you live in the sunset and want to see my yard some time, I have dahlias from May to November but the best month is August. Come on by!

In my experience tubers need: 1. Water 2. Light inside. When they go outside, the need soil. In other words, you could start them in wet newspapers and they'd likely eye up and sprout. Soil only comes into it when they sprout roots, and when you're starting tubers you're not really going after roots, you want sprouts. The more roots they grow indoors, the more work it is to transplant safely. I'd use the loosest soil you can find, and keep the tubers shallow in the mix. I started mine in a 50-50 mix of Miracle Grow Seed Starter and peat. Worked fine, but I doubt the soil had anything to do with anything. Cheers, Russ

Thanks, Janie. I kept the soil warm, but maybe too moist. I found some already started for only $2 at wal mart believe it or not- they look good. When the soil warms up, I'll transplant them out into my shade garden. I don't think I try to start them from "corms" again. However, when it gets cold, i'd like to dig up the roots and replant them next year, outside directly, may here in zone 6. I like to get a return on a investment. However, their selection at wallieworld was good, i got christmas tree, pink -something, but really want the blaze red ones. Oh well. Lesson learned. Thanks.

What's sad is I have 2 other gardens amended ready to plant in !! But on the s. side of my yard in full, direct, all day sun.. ugh! dahlias won't survive here - they need afternoon shade in my heat :( My hubby said just dig the holes - I knew better!! but thought how I will be pulling weed & grass clumps out of the area for the next 2weeks before I dare to plant one tuber in :( even after digging up the top area of sod. I feel stuck :( I dont want my tubers to stay out of the ground another minute but also know what it's like to do something half @s$ in the beginning and regret it until I fix it ! Now that u have me thinking ab it !! It's harder work to go back n fix it verses doing it right in the first place. I have 47 tubers waiting to be planted - my fear is, if I go ahead & do the bed right, it might take a while. I dug individual holes bc I've been physically sick lately & haven't had the energy to do my normal gardening - I counted 4 bags of black cow & 3 bags of potting Mix - far from enough to amend this area. But I can use soil from one of my open gardens I only have some kelp & bone meal in it - I'm an avid gardener. I know amending a small area for a plant does nothing good for it - I honestly think it's better not to ammend at all unless enough area is amended to accommodate the root zone @ maturity. I was trying to convince myself it'll b ok this way & I'll fix it this winter. Do u have any ideas for a quick solution ?? I wish I had the money to hire help to get this done asap!! Ugh- So how far apart on center should the tubers b planted ?? and in between rows ? I went by online recommendations. I'm beyond upset with myself I didn't start this early march!! Grrr !!!! Very upsetting... Along the south side of my house there's a hillside that stretches out past the right side of my back yard & circles behind it. The hill dips into a valley, which is were my "immediate" backyard is. The lowest point of this " valley" is behind the area I picked for my dahlias 2b planted. My backyard is a little valley but the ground closer to my house is higher than the rest of this valley area. I chose to plant my dahlias in this area closer to my back lanai for afternoon shade & higher ground. Bc the dahlias are at a higher point than the rest of the " valley" if it rains & floods, my dahlias won't be sitting in it. My yard is weird & uneven. I'm upset I waited way too long to get this started!! Do u think I will have blooms this fall if I get them in within a week ? Sorry for flooding u with questions but Im not familiar with dahlias like I am Roses & other flowers :) thanks cici