Why so many 'blind' buds on my dahlias this year?

[carosanto]

Hi All

Just starting to dismantle pots, take cuttings, get ready for bulbs etc.  My one big disappointment was the dahlias I grew from seed this year.  Loads and loads of big fat buds, which blackened at the tips and came to nothing.  What flowers I had were beautiful but oh, so few.  When my plants first budded I was overjoyed and looked forward to a great show.  What a disappointment!

Anything I could/should have done better?  All help welcome.

Caro

[carosanto]

[sunloving]

Hi Caro
Did you perhap mistake the spent flowers which make pointed buds with true flower buds which are rounded at the end? If you make this mistake and dont take of the spent flowers then flowering might have been repressed?

Are they pointed or flat at the end?
X sunloving