Sycamore, read all you can at the various websites. In a nutshell: Aim for full sun at least 6 hours a day. The more, the merrier. South or West exposure beds usually do great. Aim for loamy soil amended with some good organic matter that will still allow good drainage. You don't want to drown the tubers- they will rot. I try to pick out most rocks from the planting holes because I hate picking them out of the tuber clump later! Mulch over the roots to hold in moisture once they're up and growing. Here, I water twice a week in the heat of summer. Probably only weekly until it really gets dry/warm. This year's lack of rainfall might alter that a bit. I use Osmocote for an annual fertilizer once they're up and growing. I tried Mor Bloom last year at intervals, but can't really say if it helped produce more flowers because most of mine were brand new, so there's no comparison to be had. Protect your early sprouts from slugs- evil, vile slimers of the NW! They will denude a little stalk overnight. I've found them as high up as 3 ft on my dahlias. They did not live to boast about their climbing prowess either. One way I protect from slugs and cool nights in the early season is to cut off the bottom of a gallon milk jug, place them over emerging dahlia shoots and kind of mound up the soil so the little slimy gang can't get access to your plant at night. It makes a little green house for each plant overnight. I remove them all in the morning so they don't cook in the sun inside the jug. Yes, it is alot of work but it's good exercise for your waist. I finally figured out to KEEP the cut off milk jugs instead of cutting new ones every year. They stack up for easy storage in a garage corner or even outside. You said, "I'm finally back to a climate where I don't have to dig them up each fall, so I thought I'd give dahlias a try!"... I would plan on digging them up every couple years at least- they would likely survive if you left them in and covered them to prevent too much soaking during the winter, but the plants will be healthier if you dig and divide. The longer they stay in the ground, the gnarlier the tuber clump gets and more difficult to deal with division. That's my two cents. Poochella

have either of you gotten into the new harvard medical study into the use of psylocibin in the treatment of migraines and cluster headaches? I've been migraine and seizure free for 9 years now, and credit organic treatments that up until now have gotten totally ignored by the medical world (though it was a neurologist who first pointed me in the right direction) as to the waistline... pilates and biking whenever you can. pilates you can do on your living room rug... and when you bike, stand on those pedals. even the guy at the state fair underguesses my weight by a good 30 pounds- no one believes I weigh more than my husband. and a lot of it IS my waistline- since I still have one.

MaryAnn, I happened to hear a man on TV talking about diets for being fit and healthy. He said when a person is carrying their extra weight in the belly, it is usally from sweets. Too much sugar, and that is my problem. I'm now into the start of my third week of cutting down drasticly on my sugar intake. I haven't left it out completely, but I can tell you if you try to make a batch of homemade brownies with half the sugar - don't bother wasteing the ingredients! LOL! Yuck! To still indulge myself in chocolate, I eat about 6 - 8 semi sweet chocolate chips. I have always prefered dark chocolate over milk choco. No deserts around here! I have to watch out for beverages with corn syrup in them too. I drink a lot of water. The first week w/o sugar I thought I was going to have to give up, but I hung in there and wrung my hands a lot, and paced the floor often. It is diffinately an addiction! I have finally lost 3 pounds and my belly is a bit improved. This is tough, and I am sticking with the biking, but "I WILL do this!" Hayjud

Pam - Wow!! It sounds like you have really been busy! Congratulations on not smoking and reaching your weight loss goal!! You should be very proud of yourself! Wanda - Nice to hear from you again! When will hubby be up and about again? I bet he just can't wait! I just started this week back into a regular exercise program. Prior to this I had lost 5 lbs but it kept finding me again...LOL So I started a program with a little more structure and I'm planning my meals in advance - which makes the world of difference for my success. Will check in again later in the week! Hope everyone is doing well! :)