– Dahlia Report –

Early last spring the Wife-Unit and I were out in the yard and she handed me a “stick”.

“Go stick this in the ground someplace”, she said.

“What is it,” I asked?

“It’s a branch from “Big B’s” Rose of Sharon” the Wife–Unit said. Big B is one of our nieces.

The Wife-Unit had stuck another branch/cutting into the ground just off the back porch/deck.

I stuck the “branch/cutting” she had handed me into the ground where I had planted dahlia bulbs.

Within a couple of weeks leaves were definitely growing from the branches/sticks we had stuck into the ground. Branches were growing from the cutting I had stuck into the “Dahlia Patch.”

This spring the Wife-Unit asked me if I intended to plant dahlias again.

My reply was in the negative.

She then said she would (read that we-namely me) would put in some tomato plants there.

Oldest BIL and I roto-tilled the area and in the process we found two dahlia bulbs which had survived the winter. I replanted them. The Wife-Unit and I put in the tomato plants.

About a week later we put the “cages” around the tomato plants. We discovered two other dahlia plants growing. From their location I suspect that the two dahlias are of the same variety.

I had occasion to visit the local lawn/garden/landscaping emporium and I saw that they had one package of dahlia bulbs left on their shelves.

Well, you know me. I bought the damn things. Named “Snowy” something or other

Since where I would have planted them, the same place I have planted dahlias before was now occupied by tomato plants, we planted them (two bulbs) in the garden area aft of the rhubarb patch and forward of the “clubhouse”..

Two of the dahlias in the “dahlia patch area are producing buds/blossoms/flowers and the tomato plants are growing like crazy. It’s a freakin’ jungle. Lots of green tomatoes but none of them have started to turn red as of yet. Maybe we’ll have lots of fried green tomatoes.

The Rose of Sharon in the dahlia patch is definitely branching and flowering.

The two “Snowy – Whatever” dahlias that were planted near the rhubarb are doing well and it looks like they will both have numerous large blooms

I “harvested” one of the large blooms to take inside to photograph and for the MIL to enjoy.

This bloom is 8 1/2″ across