You have to see what Don sent me!!!!!!!

You guys have to see the picture!!!
I got this great big box today!
In it is this huge, and I mean HUGE stalk with tubers at the end of it.
This is my dahlias tree!!!! Yiiiipppppeeeee!

Then also in the box is a huge clump of dahlia tubers which is my BAW (that gorgeous white bloom)(Big Arse White-named by Don, LOL).
So I will share it with everyone when I sent out my tubers.
I put these in paper bags with their sawdust.

How cool is Don? Well, let me tell you. He has sent me some salvias and now these great dahlias. What a guy!!!

NOW,
Joann, HELP!!!
What do I do with the huge stalk and tubers of the dahlia tree???
Do I just plant it later (store it like my reg. tubers) like a regualr tuber?
Do I plant it now?
Do I divide some of to either share or just to make it smaller?

But it looked like Don had to use a electric saw to cut the stalk down!!!! Wow, it is over 3" in diameter!

So what do I do with it????

Mendy,
You have to see this! You have to come over! Maybe on Sunday! (am heading over the mts. to Redmond for a wrestling tourn. very early tomorrow morn. so maybe Sunday)

So THANK YOU, DON, very much for sharing your beautiful garden plants with me!!!
Carol

ha ha! Me too- Me too! Aren't they incredible Carol? I came home from work and found a box in the garage- I thought it was the " I'm so late" sister in law's Christmas box, but nooooooooo. I opened it up in my kitchen LOL Perfectly packed to the brim with shavings and when i began digging through them I couldn't believe my hands! The hugest stalk! Dr Don it's like a real tree- not just a hefty dahlia- this is SUPER DAHLIA! LOL! The tubers all look healthy and I too echo the plea for Lenjo to come out and advise us rookies on how to store until planting. I just have mine in shavings and will protect it from flood and freezing. Unbelievable. I can't wait to see it grow again

And there is a clump of Big A White which I will grow to compare to my own big arse white. One single large tuber was also found, but not labelled so I don't know if it's BAW or BAYellow? It looks like it was cut purposefully, not broken off a clump. Don't worry, I'll plant it regardless!

Thanks so much Dr. Don. I feel like I won a lottery and got the big prize!
Annie

Dr. Don, will you be my friend too??? LOL Good going gals - can't wait to see what sprouts!!

I'm so glad that you both received your packages with a minimum of handling difficulties. Last time I sent something up to daisyruffles there were some snafus with my packaging and the way the package was handled. I'm making sure that this doesn't happen again...lol. It will be so exciting to watch these grow in your fabulous gardens virtually this year. I'm looking forward to a time when we can all compare and learn from each other about species dahlias.

The very best to you both,
don

hiya Sarv48,
hang out, there'll be more. The way this plant grows you'll probably end up with one before you know it.

Hey, Sarv, I will include one of the BAW in your package.

Well, where is Joann? Did she go on her winter trip like she talked about in the Rose Forum?
Oh well, we will find out soon enough on what to do with that GREAT BIG dahlia tree.

Annie, we will have fun this summer grow them!!!

I have to get a flagpole lined up as a support stake for d. imperialis. If you're sick of my rainfall report, wait til I post on daily growth of that tree LOL! Can't wait to see how it does here. Carol, should we have a race? Who can get to 15 ft first? Who can MEASURE that tall and how? I might be hampered by a colder spring, but I will give it my best!

Dr Don what have you offered the dahlia tree for fertilizer in the past?

Aw, gee, Annie, a contest!
I never win those!
LOL
Well, I like your idea for a stake. A flagpole sounds good. Now just have to find one.
Tho really, I was thinking while driving on what to use for a stake. I don't have a fence really so..... Maybe will have to check out the discount lumber places for a large size pole.
By the way, how are we going to measure it? On a ladder, like Don did, hehe?
We both may be hampered by a cold, wet spring if this keeps up for months.
Tho maybe we will have a dry spring and summer?

Ok, Annie, we will see who gets the tallest BUT I want to see who gets the first bloom tho.

LOL
Carol

Wow, glad I checked in here tonight! Looks like you guys hit the jackpot!

I would love to come over and see that monster in person, Carol! I will be available after church tomorrow......like around 1pm. Let me know if that will work for you. I'll check here for a reply....or dmail me. We will be leaving the house around 8:30am.

Would ya believe it. My tree dahlia is still blooming! It must have a good 20 buds on it. I don't even know how long it had been up there.

A good place for an Imperialis is next to a fence. The lower foliage doesn't look like much so mine is planted outside on the far side of the fence from my yard. You don't quite need a flagpole as long as it isn't out in the middle of a field!

Funny, Doss, but it sounds true tho. I have seen Joann's tree and she has other plants all around it. I do have a fence on one side of my house that is the neighbor's but it is a west side fence and it would get shade later in the afternoon. Tho after it got over 6' tall, that won't matter but.... until then.... I don't know. Am still thinking.....
But wow, you still have blooms? Oh I am so jealous! I just noticed that my delphiniums are poking up some green leaves but....

Mendy, will be home all day long so come on by.

awwwww Daisy - what a sweetie you are.....come ON spring!!!

Ok, I will be there as soon as I can escape the boys. LOL

Annie if I was in a race with some one in a warmer zone I would mulch with black plastic and build a mini gh around it tee pee shaped with a hole open in the top to help protect from cold spring weather. Lol there is allways heat tape for serious competitors. Good luck Ernie

Annie if I was in a race with some one in a warmer zone I would mulch with black plastic and build a mini gh around it tee pee shaped with a hole open in the top to help protect from cold spring weather. Lol there is allways heat tape for serious competitors. Good luck Ernie.

oops sorry how did i manage that? now I am afraid to do any more pictures

oops sorry how did i manage that? now I am afraid to do any more pictures

Carol sorry don't know why that happened this is the third try at getting even a photo less post to work Sorry Ernie

Carol sorry don't know why that happened this is the third try at getting even a photo less post to work Sorry Ernie

Carol sorry dont know why that did that this is try 4 to get a post to transfer

I'm not sure I should even answer in case the post count on this thread suddenly goes to 64! I think DG is having a problem this a.m. as a post took forever to load , so I stopped it, but before re-posting went to the main dahlia forum page, then back to the thread and POOF it was already posted. Perhaps that is the glitch behind Ernie's multiple appearances.

Sure do like to see a lovely path in bloom Ernie- the more the merrier. Even twenty times over LOL. I'll consider that mini green house idea for the tree. I have big bean poles which could be used to build a tee pee, shorter ones too.

Doss, so no flagpole then. I'm thinking a fir trunk in sun would work, or against the unused dog run which may well become a new dahlia corral next spring. That only has 6 ft walls though. I am so excited for Spring to get here....c'mon calendar, let's move it.

Carol this is try five to post to this thread sorry I dont have a clue why that did that. Ernie

How funny

good grief! what a monster! its tubezilla! anyone got a pic of this at maturity ...wow,,,

Here you go, Bulbhound:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/540526/