Leggy Dinnerplate Dahlias- pruning

My overwintered dinnerplates have grown very leggy in the living room, in fact into something like supermodel scale of legginess. They have never done this before (it's their 3rd year) so usually I have just acclimatised them and plopped into ground.

This year I will have to cut them as the winds will otherwise make a peasoup out of them.

How will the pruning impact flowering? Should I cut way down to the first pair of leaves with sideshoot buds, or just take the tops off, or a mixture?

They will have their first outing tomorrow, it has been rather chilly and windy so far. I'm glad to be able to enter that part of the living room again... they are rather big and vigorous plants

Thanks!

 

We need pictures of leggy supermodels.....I mean dinnerplate dahlias

 

Hi @Selleri

I always ( when I grew them, don't have the room anymore ), used to cut the stems so you were left with four side shoots on each stem. Don't forget that you can use the tops of the stems you cut off as cuttings to increase your stock . They'll root quickly at this time of year.