146 
Z3l)e Slower (Brower 
THE DAHLIA 
Exhibition Dahlias for Amateurs — A Few Simple Rules Whereby the 
Beginner May Grow the Finest Blooms. 
MRS. CHARLES H. STOUT, 
(in Bulletin of the American Dahlia Society .) 
T O THE UNINITIATED, the average 
Dahlia Show spells untold labor and 
expense by those who send the great 
perfect blossoms for competition. Could 
they but realize how little the Dahlia re- 
quires, and how appreciative it is of a little 
attention, and how much it will give in re- 
turn, the “back yard amateur” would be 
heard from far more often in our shows. 
The following simple rules fit our hot New 
Jersey climate, where during the cloudless 
days of July and August the plants fairly 
gasp for moisture, and frosts often catch our 
finest blooms in mid September. They may 
be modified to suit local conditions, but it is 
safe to sav that they may be followed through- 
out the Eastern States as far South as the 
Mason and Dixon Line, and as far North as 
Boston. 
In matters of soil and location the Dahlia 
is most accommodating, and splendid blooms 
will grow upon plants which have not had 
the treatment here described ; but the sug- 
gestions given, if followed, will help to pro- 
duce perfect form and substance, large size 
and strong stem, the goal of the prize- 
winner. 
Location. 
Dahlias like fresh air — do not place them 
in a walled garden. They want the morning 
sun, and like a little shade during the hot 
afternoon, the shade of distant tall trees or 
buildings. The ground should be fairly 
level, and if it can be so arranged, where it 
gets a wash from a gentle slope. The roots 
need plenty of water, so much drainage is 
unnecessary, and is sometimes harmful. 
Soil. 
The soil should be sandy loam, not too 
light and not too heavy. If the location 
chosen has clay soil, dig plenty of sand into 
it, and add any amount of rotted leaves. 
This is the most valuable fertilizer we have, 
being just what Nature provides in her own 
garden, and through ignorance is destroyed 
to the value of hundreds of thousands of 
dollars each year. 
Dig the beds 18 inches deep at least, mix 
in the leaf mold and add bone meal at the 
rate of about 100 pounds to 300 square feet. 
It is better to do this in the Autumn, but 
even if done in the Spring the plants can use 
the food to good advantage. 
Bone meal gives the plants a sturdy con- 
stitution, good roots and strong stems. 
Never use coal ashes for Dahlias. It is too 
strong in alkali and impoverishes the soil. 
Planting. 
Do not make the mistake of planting too 
early. Some of the slow growing varieties 
should go in about May 15th, as a light frost 
does not hurt them when so young. Tubers 
can be planted as late as July 1st, and potted 
plants a month later. 
Dahlias should grow three to four feet 
apart, and if possible, in a garden by them- 
selves. Peonies, Iris and all strong feeding 
plants should never be placed near them. 
Indeed no plant should be nearer than three 
feet from a Dahlia. 
Stakes should go in first. Forcing them 
in after the plants are in the ground will 
disturb the roots and often kill the whole. 
For the taller varieties, 2x2 rough lumber 
six feet long and pointed at one end is best. 
These should be washed over or painted 
with a dark creosote stain, and the pointed 
end tarred to protect from rot in the ground. 
Force the point down eighteen inches or 
more, at the exact spot where the plant is 
to grow. Then dig a hole next to it six to 
eight inches deep, and wide enough to lay 
the tuber on its side, with eye up, next the 
stake. Cover lightly with soil to about two 
inches. Do not press the soil down, but if it 
is very dry, pour a little water into the hole to 
tuck the soil around the tuber just enough. 
As the sprout grows, the hole may gradually 
be filled up. 
Green plants may be set next the stake 
with a depression of about two inches, to be 
filled up as it grows. 
This is to ensure deep root growth, and 
deep root growth ensures moisture, just 
where the plant needs it. 
If there is any risk of cut worms being in 
the soil, each plant may wear a collar made 
of building paper, about two inches above 
and below ground. In early June this danger 
is over. 
Tying. 
As the plant reaches a height of about 18 
inches, it should be loosely tied to the stake. 
Allow for the swelling of the now slender 
stem, for it will sometimes grow to be more 
than six inches in circumference. Tie it 
again as it shows need of support, but never 
choke the leaves up with the string. 
Making Plants. 
A clump left from the plant of last year 
must be separated so that each tuber has an 
“eye” or sprout attached to it. Never plant 
the whole clump. This eye is always located 
on the neck of the old stock, and sometimes 
it is no easy matter to cut the tubers apart 
without breaking them. The sinews of the 
neck which holds the tuber to the eye must 
not be strained or broken, for then the plant 
can never develop. Use a very sharp pointed 
knife. 
To make green plants, put the whole clump 
into a box of soil in the hotbed or green- 
house, or even in a sunny window at home. 
When the sprouts have three sets of leaves, 
cut them off half way between the first and 
second set, trimming off the two lower leaves 
of this cutting. Plunge them into damp, 
warm sand, deep enough to cover the joints. 
Keep watered and shaded from direct sun in 
bottom heat of about 70°F. for three weeks, 
On removing from the sand little hair-like 
roots will be seen coming from the end of 
the stems. Plant carefully in a three-inch 
pot, and allow to grow until the pot is well 
filled with roots. 
Meanwhile the shoots from which these 
cuttings have been taken will each have 
made two side shoots. These may be re- 
moved in turn when three sets of leaves 
have appeared. Each time this is done, twice, 
the number of shoots appear, but after many 
cuttings are made, the last ones are liable to 
be weak. Fifty plants should be the max- 
imum. 
Disbranching. 
Never more than one main trunk should 
be allowed to grow in each stand. If the 
roots throw up more than that, they may be 
carefully detached when small, and may be 
September, 1920 
potted and grown like any green plant made 
from a cutting. 
Six to ten main branches from the trunk 
is plenty. If there are more than that, cut 
out or break off one branch from each pair, 
and when the main branches re-branch, re- 
move every other one, leaving, preferably the 
branches which would grow outward. This 
allows the air to circulate among the leaves, 
and puts twice the vigor into the branches 
left. 
The secondary branches are destined to be 
the flower stems, and if they in turn throw 
out side shoots, rub them off as they appear. 
Do not allow too much leaf growth, as that 
takes the strength from the bloom. 
Often a flower bud will appear in June or 
early July. Cut it off half way down the 
branch. Immediately two new shoots will 
start out from the last joint left, and these 
will make good flowers in September. Plants 
which bloom during the growing season, 
do so at the expense of the roots, and do not 
give fine flowers when they are really 
wanted. 
Pests. 
White fly is the most serious pest for 
Dahlias in this part of the country. It stings 
the tender buds and the young shoots, there- 
by stunting growth, and injuring the blooms 
as they open. The most effective treatment 
known so far is to make a solution of nico- 
tine sulphate, about half the strength of 
solution used on Roses for thrip or green 
fly, and spray under the leaves late in the 
afternoon in dry weather. Two applications 
about three weeks apart should be all that 
is necessary. 
Cultivation. 
Cultivate Dahlias constantly. At first the 
cultivator may go in deeply, but as the 
tubers become larger this is both dangerous 
and unnecessary. The tubers may become 
injured and the plant blighted ; and to loosen 
the soil which is touching the tubers will ! 
dry them out. The top soil, however, should 
be kept constantly stirred, both to keep down 
the weeds, and to keep in the moisture. 
In dry weather the roots should be | 
thoroughly soaked once a week. The best 
way is to turn on the fountain spray for 
three hours in one spot. It is the nearest 
to Nature’s way, and thus the water will 
soak down to where the roots may have it 
for many days after. A daily sprinkling is I 
harmful. 
Food. 
About the last week in August the plants 
should have their first treatment of fertilizer. [ 
Sheep manure is best for this, or if available, 
fresh hen manure mixed with sand. 
Draw the soil away carefully from around 
each plant, making a basin about a foot 
across. Scatter into it one-half a trowelful 
of sheep or hen manure, not more. Pour in 
slowly a large bucketful of water, and after 
the water has disappeared, draw the dry soil 
over the hole to act as a mulch. 
Sheep and hen manure are strong in 
nitrates, and produce vigorous top growth. 
Too much of it is at the expense of the 
roots. Too much will also “draw” the stems, 
weakening them so that they cannot hold 
up the heavy blooms. 
A backward plant may have a second dose 
of fertilizer a fortnight later. 
Disbudding. 
It takes much courage to disbud Dahlias. 
Usually three flower buds appear at the end 
of the stem. When they are the size of 
peas, take the two side buds off, leaving the 
central bud to develop. If the side bud is 
left to develop, and the central bud removed, 
the bloom will have a crooked stem. Some- 
times more buds appear at the joints further 
down the stem. Remove as many as desired, 
according to the size wanted for the terminal 
flower, and the length of the stem wished 
for cutting. 
