Dahlia Protection

My dahlias are now each enclosed in plastic fortresses:

Slices cut from soft-drink bottles, inserted into the soil for a couple of centimetres. I am hoping that these will offer protection from cutworms, blackbirds, or cats. I am looking out for earwigs, and have scattered some iron phosphate snail bait around in case snails are the culprits.

I hope the poor mangled plants will recover and start growing again!