It is not really a debate but more a discussion on the pros and cons of pinching off the lead stem or growth point on dahlia plants to encourage branching. I have consulted The Dahlia Expert, Jeremy Schuurman and he likes to keep it clear and simple…it depends.
“Either way is fine. Pinching will give you a shorter/bushier plant and if you choose to pinch them back, it should be done when plants are just under 60cm (2ft) tall.”
Even as a novice dahlia grower (you can see my small crop pictured with this post), I appreciate Jeremy’s answer, because each tuber behaves differently. It may sprout earlier or later with multiple sprouts per tuber or a single lead stem.
From my example, I would encourage more branching by pinching the lead stem from a single sprout tuber but would leave a tuber that has multiple stems sprouting to naturally bush out. On the other hand, I may want long stems on the dahlia for use in bouquets and discourage multiple shorter stems. Some dahlia varieties may serve multiple purposes. Bushy plants and long stems!
For more on dahlias see: https://www.thedahliaexpert.ca/
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