KUNZMAN, NEW ALBANY, INDIANA 
19 
How to Handle and Grow Dahlias 
(IN A NUTSHELL) 
A SUNNY, open location,—soil matters little. Spade well and 
deeply (when fit to work) and fine thoroughly. When soil 
has become warm, plant the tuber horizontally, about 6 inches 
deep and 3x4 feet apart if soil is rich, or 2x3 feet, if soil is 
poor. Do not water when planting, and never sprinkle your 
dahlias ; soak the soil thoroughly about every 7 or 10 days, during very 
dry weather; also when in bloom. 
Keep the top soil stirred to prevent weeds, and when plants are 
too large to do this, mulch the soil with waste or leaves of any kind. 
W hen plant is a foot or so high drive a stout stake about 6 inches 
from the plant to tie it to, as it grows, with “rag” or soft twine. Also 
about that time, if you want bushy plants, not so tall, cut out the tops, 
leaving about 3 joints. Fasten your label to the stake. If you want 
extra large bloom, remove all but the main flower-bud on each branch, 
and water with liquid manure, but any “high-pressure” cultivation 
makes the roots harder to keep over. 
Cut your blooms very late in the evening or early in the morning; 
“singe” them by holding the ends of stems over a gas flame for a 
moment or two, or, putting them in about 2 inches of steaming hot 
water for a few moments (do not let steam hit the blossoms), then 
putting in cold water. 
Several days after frost has killed your plants (the roots mature 
more rapidly after plant is killed) dig them up, careful to prevent 
breaking the “necks” of the tubers, cut the tops off (a pruning shear or 
small saw) within an inch of the clump and store away. Do not leave 
a long stem to induce rot, and do not let lie around, they will dry 
enough in storage. 
If possible, store in an old-fashioned cellar, which is generally 
somewhat damp and cool. If you have no such place available, put 
them in a paper-lined box and cover all over with damp (not wet) earth, 
sand or, best of all, peat which can be bought at any large agricultural 
dealer for 5 cents per pound, or so. Then store the box in as cool, 
moist a place as you can find, where the temperature does not go below 
freezing. 
Examine the roots about January 1st and about March 1st and if 
too dry, moisten the earth or peat somewhat; if any rot appears, cut it 
out thoroughly and dust the cut place with powdered sulfur. 
When ready to plant out, use a strong knife to separate the clumps 
so that each division made, shall have an “eye.” One tuber with an 
eye is better than many. 
If plant lice, aphis, curly leaf or thrip appear on your plants spray 
with “Volck,” or soap suds and “Black Leaf 40.” 
Snails and cut-worms often eat the eyes or sprout of a tuber. The 
best method is to go out very late at night and sprinkle air-slacked 
lime or tobacco dust around the plant. 
If your plant leaves turn white in the fall dust with powdered 
sulfur on a sunny morning. If your dahlia stops growing after attain¬ 
ing several inches, take up the tuber, wash very carefully and re¬ 
plant it. 
Some varieties do not produce tubers readily ; if the tuber planted 
in spring has merely increased in size, cut off the tail end leaving it 
about 4 inches long, split this lengthwise so as to leave an eye on each 
split division; dust with sulfur and each piece will produce a plant 
and a clump. 
Any further information cheerfully furnished on request. 
Green Plants 
On receipt of Green Plants, remove all wrappings carefully, except 
the moss around roots. Leave this on, plant immediately in well pre¬ 
pared soil, as deep as possible, so that should an insect cut it off, it 
will come again from below. Press the soil firmly as possible and shade 
from hot sun (with light cloth or newspapers) during heat of day, for 
several days. 
