Dahlias

Pta55

My Cactus Dahlias seem to have very thin stems and dont take the weight of the flowers, they just droop. The flowers are quite large but you cant seem them as they all droop downwards.
 
The plants are supported in grid plant supports this year but have found that they are not high enough at 94cm, even though they are supposed to be for Dahlias. So will have to add additional canes/twine next year to add height I think.
Any help gratefully received. Pta55

Fairygirl

I think you've answered your own question 
Better, taller supports, put in sooner. 

Over feeding, with the wrong food, at the wrong time, can also sometimes lead to plants becoming big and soft, although dahlias come in so many shapes and sizes, so that isn't necessarily the problem as such. Perhaps something to consider though. 

Nollie

Some dahlias are certainly floppier than others. I’ve yet to find an elegant solution to staking the tall ones. I put in a tall, sturdy stake when I plant them out and tie the main stem to that, but as they have more than one stem, I support those others with plant hoops all around, some cope with that, others just bend over the top of them. I tried using twiggy pea sticks/branches for the floppy ones and they collapsed under the weight of the plant and looked scruffy. If I use individual stakes for every stem they just look trussed. For those I want stronger, shorter and bushier, I pinch out the growing shoots pretty hard, twice, but sometimes you want a tall dahlia at the back of the border. There is clearly a dark art to it I have yet to discover!

Pta55

Thank you Fairy Girl and Nollie will definitely go down the more staking route just hope I can do it and still look nice. Pta55

Fairygirl

Having other planting in and around them for support is also a good idea. If they're just planted in isolation, it makes it harder to keep them upright. Lots of perennials and bulbs are the same.