Calling Dahlia Fans

Friday I went to a well known fruit market in Tacoma, and while shopping
for fruits & veggies, they had a sign advertising flats of bedding
plants - $5 each.  There was nothing but petunias, and a few "flats" of
dahlias.  Most all the poor dahlias were covered with slugs (blech!), so
I created my own "flat" of non munched plants in varied shades of pinks.
<huge grin>  Hey, the sales clerk said I could mix & match...  Upon
checking out, I was told the dahlias were not in the 5.00 deal, to which
I replied "Darn, I asked if I could mix and match..."  Well, the manager
overheard, and told the clerk to give me the entire flat for 5.00, as
they should have marked the dahlias clearly, and not put them in with
the petunias.  I got 15, 4" pots of dahlias for 5 bucks~! (I went back
and gave him a complementary box of slug bait -  powder form...)

These guys are about 12 - 18" tall, and LOADED with buds ready to bloom.
I noticed they were almost root bound, and I'm wondering if  they'll
come back next year? I know the tubers you buy from the garden
center/mail order will be alright if you dig them up during winter(or so
I'm told), can I dig these up when I gather my others?   

When you start a dahlia from seed, will they form their own tuber over
time?  

I don't quite understand how they differ from the tubers I set out
earlier this year.  Can I get my own seed from the blooms and plant them
next spring?

Anyone have a favorite book for Dahlia information?

Also, I started some marigolds a week before Memorial day.  The
seedlings are barely an inch and a half tall.  Some I planted later are
almost 3 inches.  I started them in seed trays, moved them to empty pony
pack containers I had, and it's like they stopped growing once I placed
them in the pony pack containers.  Are they trying to fill the container
with roots before the tops grow?

Thanks,

neens

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