Proper Care of Dahlias After the 

 "Blooming Season 



With the exception of cutting up the clumps in 

 the spring time for replanting, here is where the 

 uninformed have their greatest losses and failures. 



In sections where the frost kills the tops, they 

 should be cut off about ten inches from the ground, 

 and taken up, which should be done with great care 

 in order not to break the necks of the tubers from 

 the main stalks. At the time they are dug up the 

 ground should be very moist but not sticky. A 

 spading fork is best to use in raising them. Push 

 the fork into the ground as far as it will go, not less 

 than twelve or fourteen inches from the plant, then 

 gently pry up a little ways, this will loosen or sever 

 the roots from the tubers that may run off into the 

 ground for quite a ways. 



Work clear around the plant in this manner. 

 Then get your fork deep down under the clump. 

 By the way remove all the dirt you can from the 

 top of the clump, for the weight of this dirt fre- 

 quently breaks the tubers loose from those varieties, 

 which are usually the Cactus and Hybrid Cactus 

 types, the necks being long and slender. Take hold 

 of the stump with one hand to steady, it and push 

 down on the handle of the fork with the other hand, 

 raising the clump out of the ground. 



If all the dirt should fall away from the tubers 

 carefully place the clump on the ground. It fre- 

 quently occurs that to let the clump sit flat on the 

 ground will cause the neck of some of the tubers 



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