Dahlia disaster!

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VH>I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone VH>(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut VH>off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to VH>the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

VH>All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were VH>covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big VH>gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The VH>wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent VH>over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted VH>and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the VH>only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.

I use my tomato cages for half for my tomatoes. The other, more robust stalks I drive a couple stakes and run a rope between them; to which I attach the stalks just below the area where those are bearing fruit.

My dahlias also work best supported (but not always attached) by ropes stung between poles driven into the ground in line with the main stalks.

Sorry for your loss; but I would only remove the plant material torn from the plants, and let Mother Nature take care of repairing the damage. The bulbs need to store up strengh to be productive again next season.

Ciao, Ack.

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THURSTON ACKERMAN
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