Question

Why didn't my dahlias bloom this year?  I did not remove the tubers and they survived and spread through my entire flower bed.  They have very little flowers or buds but no big blooms.  

Answer
Dahlias self-dividing are a wonderful predicament.  But when they fail to blooom, it is a big disappointment.

Dahlia season however is now over.  I've cut my last bouquet, and once we get a hard freeze, they'll be up and out of the ground again.  It is critical that you figure out what went wrong this year, but it is going to be difficult because all the evidence has been lost.

Were there any symptoms on the leaves?  Any mottling or curling?  Were they the expected vivid green, or were they pale instead? Were they mottled, or striped - a symptom of a virus?

What about the petals?  Did they show any damage, any brown marks as they opened?  Did you see any insects burrowing into the bud?

Then, there is the most common error: Lack of sunlight.  Not getting enough light is why many plants fail at the bloom stage.  These are full sun plants with full sun appetites.  They need rich Soil and, well, full sun.  Then there's the bugs: Spidermites; Corn Borer; something else.  Think back, and let me know -- along with a description of the sun exposure and your care regimen.  And we can get to the bottom of this.  The small tubers, by the way, are capable of growing Dinnerplate blooms.

Please get back to me about these symptoms and other red flags.  Dahlia season is approaching its height and we should all be enjoying our Dahlias now.  RSVP,

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER