Oh no I hacked right through my Rhizomes!

[QuintessentiallyQS]

I planted a variety of splendid dahlia rhizomes last year, and I did not mark them all out so I thought I had a bare patch, and I attacked it with vigour, and now I have hacked through them, thus splitting them.

Will they be ok? Have I divided them and will they multiply, or have I killed them??

Maybe you now have lots if rhizomes?

Many half-rhizomes, at least. Or quartered.

I'd guess they'll multiply. You may have loads of them

I wonder if they will be smaller than the big dahlias I had last summer, or the same size?

Provided there are a few roots on each piece they should be OK I guess; give them TLC when replanted. Plants may be smaller for a year of two, but if they are happy in your soil it may not make any difference. May be fewer flowers, but really the rhizomes are only a 'store house' to keep the plant going, and I would imagine the root growth they make in the new season is key to success.