This is my first season experimenting with Dahlias and I’m pleasantly surprised at how easy they’ve been to care for. Zone 7 - they definitely seem to prefer morning sun. I tried two different areas and the ones in the afternoon sun did not bloom at all. I relocated those about a month ago into pots and they are blooming now.

The ones pictured have been in the ground since spring and are thriving with little maintenance other than water and deadheading every week or so once they started to flower.

I ordered the plants this year to try and based on my experience I think I’m going to start from seed next year. It’s really nice to have a thriving plant in the worst heat of summer. Everything else is sagging and stressed for a few more weeks at least.