HOME GARDENING GUIDE 



GLADIOLUS 



Gladiolus are among the easiest of all 

 flowers to grow. But while they stand 

 neglect better than most plants, they also 

 respond beautifully to proper treatment. 

 So it is well to note these brief points: 

 Soil should be well drained, sandy loam, 

 preferably where no glads have been 

 grown for the past 3 years. Cultivation to 

 a depth of 18 inches is desirable. 

 Full sun is best, although they do fairly 

 well in partial shade. Glads may be set 

 out as soon as frost is out of the ground, 

 but extra-early planting gains little. A suc- 

 cession of plantings about ten days apart 

 gives a long blooming season. 

 Depth of planting should be no more than 

 4" in heavy soil and 5 to 6" in light, 

 sandy soil. Space bulbs 3" apart in rows 

 18 to 30" apart. Be sure to eliminate air 

 pockets under the bulbs. 

 Place bulbs in a well worked trench in 

 staggered or zig-zag row — and cover at 

 first with about two inches of loam. When 

 shoots begin to appear, work balance of 

 loam into the trench. 



Watering is important. Glads need an 

 abundance of moisture, especially after 

 the plant is well developed. 



DAHLIAS 



Any reasonably careful gardener can grow 

 dahlias easily and successfully. 

 Soil needs of dahlias are no different than 

 those of a good vegetable garden. Drain- 

 age and porosity are important. 

 Fertilizing calls for nothing more than a 

 good balanced commercial fertilizer. 

 Planting is simple. Set stout stakes first. 

 Plant the tuber in a hole 6 inches deep, 

 with eye up, and neck near stake. Cover 

 with just enough soil to hide the tuber. 

 As the eye grows, keep filling in soil. 

 Culture. Cultivate frequently for about the 

 first 10 v/eeks. Do not cultivate v/hen 

 flowers are in bud or bloom. 

 Allow only one main stalk to grov/. When 

 stalk is about 10 inches high, pinch out 

 the center just above the 2nd pair of 

 leaves. When buds appear, pinch out all 

 except the central one. Also pinch out all 

 new lateral shoots except the two nearest 

 the main stalk. This helps produce large 

 blooms on low, bushy plants and en- 

 courages long stems. 



CANNAS 



While cannas will tolerate cold soil, they 

 usually do not start growing until hot 



weather comes. If planted in round beds, 

 you will need 37 plants for a 10 foot bed 

 (18 plants on the outside, 12 in the second 

 rovr, six for the third row and one in the 

 center). A 7 foot bed will use 19 plants, 

 with 12 plants on the outside row, six for 

 the middle row and one plant in the 

 center. 



FANCY LEAVED CALADIUMS 



These spectacular foliage plants are par- 

 ticularly valuable because they do well in 

 shade. Start them in a mixture of half sand 

 and half leaf mould at a temperature of 

 over 70 degrees. When the roots are well- 

 developed and the shoot is beginning to 

 show, pot up in rich soil. Set out in the 

 garden when weather is warm and set- 

 tled. Elephant ears can be planted directly 

 in soil out of doors, but the weather must 

 be warm and settled, otherwise they rot. 



LILIES 



Even the swamp lilies will not tolerate 

 wet feet; all must have perfect drainage. 

 Yet they like a moist, cool soil. This 

 means that liberal quantities of old well- 

 decayed compost is almost essential for 

 lilies. 



CACTUS DAHLIA 



POMPON DAHLIAS 



DAHLIA 

 Formal Decorative 



