Can someone point me in the right direction?

Hi everyone! I'm more than a 'little' new to this forum...and *really* new to growing and storing dahlias.

Mu problem is this:
My DIL brought over a dahlia that she'd dug up last night so I could show her how to divide the clump. (Yeah! Right! Me???) Anyway, this clump was totally HUGE...probably a good foot and a half in all directions! (:-O) I'd never seen anything like it...unless it was when I dug potatoes once.

I need some GOOD instructions (with PICTURES please) on how to deal with this monster. I *need* to know "what is what" and I need to be able to identify all these 'parts' that you guys toss around so casually. LOL

I really don't want to disappoint the DIL cuz she *thinks* I know *everything* (ROTFL here...DILs aren't usually like that!)

Any help (with hyperlinks) would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

~julie~
(p.s. Hey! Carol (dr) How's that digging progressing? :-))

Here's a great link:
http://www.dahlias.net/

Also the Dahlia planting and propagation thread is a good place to look.

Yes, it's important to keep those DIL's in the dark. LOL I'm glad that you have one that appreciates you.

LOL...in my case the DIL is definitely OLD enough to *know* better!

Thanks doss! I appreciate you stopping by to give me a hand here. While I was waiting I went surfin to see what I could find. And WoW-ee did I ever find the GOOD stuff!

Now that I look at the URL...it's one the same site you gave me! LOL ...Now how's THAT for a *good* search?

There are some great pics of exactly what I needed to know (you know, in order to *look* smart? hehehe)

So if anyone else stumbles across this thread hoping that I will get some info...try this link!
http://www.dahlias.net/dahwebpg/TuberStor/TuberStor1.htm

And thanks to everyone who *didn't* answer me question. Cuz if you had, I'd have never gone looking. :-)

~julie~

Here's another link you might try, it's long but full of photos and q & a's that you might find useful.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/dahlia/msg041343391520.html?51

And another link for the tough clump.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/dahlia/msg1118525623674.html?16

and one to find eyes, if that seems a little vexing
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/dahlia/msg1003111025242.html?8

Poochella! (((hugs!))) WOW!!! What great resources those threads are! I almost didn't get back in here to say thanks. I got so caught up in the procedure I just about went over to the DILs to *steal* her clump. LOL

Thanks SO much!

~julie~

Ok, Julie, just hold your horses!
LOL
I am still up at my parents in WA helping out with my dad after that stroke. I will be home this Sunday and will see to digging more tubers.
I have dug a couple before I left. Have 'Hee Haugh' so far. Can't remember the name of what else I dug right now. My brain is kind of fried right now.
So will let you know more later.

You can just start hacking away at that large tuber and I am sure you will have several good tubers to grow next spring.

Carol

Carol, I fully understand why your brain is on overload right now. Hope all is well with your Mom and Dad.

I think my DIL's dahlia must have been planted near some cannas and probably just thought (because it was only one in the yard) that it was a canna too. It just grew, and grew, and grew. LOL Honestly, this dahlia had more tubers than *most* of the cannas I dug up this year! (It's name is 'Pink Attraction' and I have a feeling, after looking it up on the web, that it's a fairly productive variety)

Take care now...and don't work too hard when you get back home. Things will wait until your brain gets back to "normal."

~julie~