May, 1920 
.flower (Brower 
It I III! II I IIM II I IMI II II III II II 
The Dahlia 
Separating Dahlia Clumps. 
[ Written expressly for The Flower Grower. J 
The Dahlia clump can be properly 
separated by anyone if the following 
instructions are carefully followed : 
Take the Dahlia clump as it was 
harvested with the portion of the orig- 
inal stalk from which the top was 
removed (same as shown in the ac- 
companying illustration.) 
Upon examining the clump you will 
notice that the tubers formed at the 
base of the stalk, and that each 
tuber has a crown, neck and body. 
The crown being the bulging por- 
tion where it is connected with the 
clump, the neck the small portion be- 
tween the crown and the body of the 
tuber. By examining carefully, small 
eyes or sprouts can be detected on the 
crowns and stalk base. These eyes 
produce the new plants, 
so in separating, it is 
necessary that each tuber 
have an eye. Without an 
eye the tuber is worthless. 
In separating, a sharp 
knife should be used and 
great care taken. The 
best way is to remove each 
tuber individually, but in 
cutting it is necessary that 
each tuber have a crown 
or a portion of the stalk ; 
as it is upon this that all 
eyes grow. 
First of all, select the 
tuber you think can be 
most easily removed. 
With the point of your 
knife cut deeply into the 
base of the stalk (the black 
lines in the illustration 
showing place to cut), cut- 
ting so as to leave an 
equal amount of the stalk 
base for each tuber, and 
so that each tuber has its 
crown. By cutting deeply 
into the stalk base on both 
sides, the tuber becomes 
separated from the clump, leaving a 
“V” shaped portion of the stalk base 
as a crown or head, upon which the 
eye is found or will grow. The next 
tuber favorably located from the sepa- 
rating standpoint can then be chosen, 
and removed by again cutting the 
stalk-base and so on until the stalk- 
base becomes the crown of each indi- 
vidual tuber. 
When the tuber is planted, it should 
be laid flat six inches deep, so the 
crown, around which the new tubers 
form, will be sufficiently deep to re- 
ceive plenty of moisture, which is 
necessary that the new tubers may de- 
velop properly. The sprout will grow 
from the “ crown ” and soon reach the 
top of the ground, producing a plant, 
the stem of which when full grown be- 
comes the stalk. 
Cultivation is one of the principal re- 
quirements to have a successful Dahlia 
garden. J. K. Alexander. 
Planting Dahlias. 
Many amateurs make an error when 
they plant their Dahlias, which affects 
their entire results. Many plant too 
many tubers in a hill, with the result 
that they receive several stalks, a sur- 
plus of foliage, and few flowers. One 
tuber is sufficient ; two plenty, and 
more than that many a detriment. 
Another mistake many amateurs 
make, is that they stand the tuber on 
its end, thinking they are helping it to 
come through the ground, by getting 
the sprout near the top of the surface, 
while in reality they are doing the 
plant harm. Tubers should be laid 
flat down, between five and seven 
inches deep, with a sprout or eye facing 
upward. The new tubers which form, 
when planted in this manner, will form 
sufficiently deep below the surface and 
receive plenty of moisture, while, if 
they were planted with the tuber 
standing on its end, the new tubers 
would form near the top of the ground, 
and the plant would become stunted, 
or would not be able to give best re- 
sults, which would show in lack of 
blossoms. 
It is advisable to cover tubers an 
inch or so, before applying fertilizer 
or dressing. Applying the fertilizer 
above the tuber is recommended, as 
each rain takes the nourishment down, 
and the plant receives the entire bene- 
fit of the fertilization, where if the 
fertilizer is below the tuber, each rain 
carries it further away from the plant. 
As soon as the sprout comes through 
the ground, it is well to commence 
cultivation, as early and frequent culti- 
vation insures the very best results. 
If cutworms or ants seem to trouble 
the plants more than usual, I find 
“ vermine ” one of the best insecticides 
77 
for this purpose. It destroys ants, cut 
and wire worms, white grubs and root 
lice. 
J. K. Alexander. 
Dahlia Culture. 
The Missouri Botanic Garden Bulletin for 
April has an interesting article on Dahlias and 
their culture. It is stated that the distance 
apart for planting varies with the varieties, 
but for general purposes three to four feet 
are usually left between plants. The time 
of planting has been a matter of dispute, but 
there is little doubt that early planting is not 
as satisfactory as late. To flower properly 
the wood must be young and succulent, this 
condition being obtained only through a con- 
tinuous period of growth without a check. 
Early-started plants are severely checked by 
the heat of midsummer and either fail to flower 
at all or are killed by frost before flowering. 
Heavy pruning of woody plants may result 
in sufficient rejuvenation to produce flowers. 
The last of May or early June is considered 
the best period for planting. 
Light soils are best suited for Dahlias, the 
original home of the genus being the sandy 
plateaus of Mexico. On very light soils 
manure or other humus-producing substances 
should be introduced to improve the mois- 
ture-holding capacity, while heavy soils 
should be lightened by the introduction of 
sand, lime, sheep manure, or bulky straw 
manure. Further treatment of Dahlias after 
planting consists of training them in one of 
two ways: (1) They may be allowed to de- 
velop unrestricted, a stake being driven to 
each plant to support the stem ; or (2) the 
terminal shoots may be pinched out after 
three to four pairs of leaves are formed, 
this checking the terminal growth and pro- 
ducing heavy, stocky stems capable of self- 
support. This latter process naturally delays 
the blooming period for two weeks and re- 
moves the largest of the flowers, but by 
judicious disbudding the size of the other 
flowers may be increased sufficiently to 
serve all needs. 
Thorough cultivation to conserve moisture 
is essential. A mulch of leaves, grass clip- 
pings, or well rotted manure may be used 
during the Summer for this purpose. Wa- 
tering should only be practiced if done regu- 
larly, the ground being thoroughly soaked at 
intervals depending upon the weather. Mere 
sprinkling of the ground is deleterious, 
though spraying of the tops during particu- 
larly hot weather is beneficial. 
After a killing frost in the Fall the stems 
should be cut close to the ground and 
the tubers carefully dug, avoiding the 
breaking of necks. After allowing them to 
dry for a day, the clumps should be stored 
in a cool, dry place, tops down. If the tem- 
perature is likely to rise much above 50°F. 
or should the atmosphere be too dry, they 
should be buried in moist sand, fine coal 
ashes, or sawdust. Excess of moisture 
should be avoided. 
The diseases attacking Dahlias are of 
negligible quantity, the most serious being 
the powdery mildew, which, however, is 
readily controlled by spraying with sulphur 
or Bordeaux mixture. 
A little more troublesome are the insect 
pests. In moist localities slugs are quite 
common, feeding upon the young shoots and 
often the buds and leaves. Hand capture at 
night is a common and successful method, 
while poisoned bran bait scattered at the 
base of the plants is quite effective, as is 
also naphthalene or lime. The tarnished 
plant bug is a serious pest at certain seasons, 
blighting or deforming the flower by pierc- 
ing the bud at its base, or ruining the petals 
after opening. This small brown active 
bug is a sucking insect not subject to stomach 
poisoning and is so alert as to make contact 
spraying almost impossible. Covering the 
Dahlia Clump, Showing Proper Method of Dividing. 
