[Daisy]

I only have a few dahlias, six varieties in total.
Two of those varieties, Arabian Nights and Maldiva are floppy.
They are all staked and tied, but these two varieties refuse to stand up.
The side branches all lean down. The flowers all start off upright, but within a day are facing the ground.
The other dahlias don't do this. I would have thought it was a characteristic of these particular varieties, except that although Maldiva is new to me this year, Arabian Nights is not.
I did move it last winter to it's new position which is only a few yards from it's old position. It didn't flop in it's old position, but wants to lie on the ground now.
Does anybody know what causes this?
Thanks.
 Daisy

[Trevor Australis]

Sounds like soft growth caused by too much water couples with too much nitrogenous fertiliser. Could this be your problem? Or maybe the plants are not in FULL SUN causing them to etiolate?  tn

[Daisy]

Thank-you for your ideas Trevor, but I am afraid it is still a mystery.
All my dahlias are in full sun for a good part of the day. None of them have been fertilized and they all get watered just once a fortnight.
All the leaves on these two varieties, are now turning brown too.
Daisy

[Hilary]

Dahlia, Lavender Perfection

Seen in August in the Royal Botanic Garden Madrid, helpfully with a  notice  stating its name

Dahlias are mentioned several times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN. Read IN THE LAND OF VESUVIUS by Lindsay Blyth , issue number 64, April 2011