Helpful Hints in Cultivating of Dahlias 
KENDAL DAHLIA GARDENS, INC. 
SANDUSKY, OHIO 
Dahlias are easily grown, requiring no special soil, treatment or skill to bring them to perfection. 
Dahlias are really an Autumn flower and should not be planted too early. For the best fall flowers 
they should be planted the first to the 15th of June. This is' true for the southern and south central states, 
as as well as for the northern states. 
They are remarkably free from disease and have few special enemies. 
Plant in sunny location, although they will do nicely in partial shade. They grow taller when shaded. 
Prepare the soil by deep spading; if soil is sandy a shovel full of well rotted manure may be incor¬ 
porated with it; if otherwise use little, if any, fertilizer before plants begin to bud. Add sand or coal 
ashes to heavy soil or clay mixing it in thoroughly. 
Drive a stake at edge of each hole to support the plant. Lay root down flat with eye upward and next 
to stake, about six inches deep, and cover two inches with pulverized soil, gradually filling to level as plant 
progresses. Plant two to three feet apart each way. With exhibition varieties a foot farther apart will be 
better. When plant gets tall tie it to a stake with coarse cord or strips of cloth. 
As soon as plants are large enough, pinch out the top bud just above the third or fourth set of leaves. 
This causes the plant to branch, so that it will not grow so tall. If you do this, stakes will not be neces¬ 
sary. 
Cultivate well until buds appear, then stop all cultivation except light raking after each rain or water¬ 
ing, just enough to break the crust of ground; only be sure to do this. Clay soil requireSi more cultivation. 
When buds appear spread manure or some good potato fertilizer around the plant and mix slightly in 
the soil, but do not place the fertilizer against the plant or roots, keeping it 6 to 1*2 inches away. The 
roots' will hunt and find it. 
In case a perfectly good root with a good eye refuses to sprout dig up the root and soak for 24 hours 
in fresh water; this usually will cause it to sprout in a reasonable time after replanting. If it then refuses, 
return it to the shipper. 
Unless' weather is very dry and hot, do not begin watering until buds appear, then soak the ground 
thoroughly (not sprinkle) about once a week or ten days. Cut off all faded flowers with as much of the 
stalk as you can. 
For extra large blooms disbud by pinching off all buds in a cluster except the strongest one. The 
more laterals or “Suckers” you take off the longer the stems' and the fewer the flowers and larger. 
For cut flowers pick in the evening or early morning if possible; burn the ends of stems in any flame, 
or dip in boiling water for 10 seconds; after either treatment place in cold water and put in cool place 
free from draft until wanted. 
When frosted down in Autumn, cut stalks off at the ground and dig carefully so as not to break neck 
of roots, for the eyes for next season's growth are only found where the root joins the stalk. Place the 
dahlia in box and cover with sand and newspaper, so that the air does not reach the bulbs and dry them 
out, then place in coolest part of the cellar. Protect from freezing, too much moisture or too much heat. 
Forty to fifty degrees is a good temperature. 
In the spring, when the eyes show plainly, divide the roots, being careful that each root has an eye. 
Then cover them up again and keep dry until planted. Do not plant the whole clump in one hill, as it 
will produce too many s'talks and your plant is better with not more than one or two good eyes, which will 
produce better plants and flowers than if you plant a whole clump which produces ten to twelve stalks, 
none of which will mature or bloom satisfactorily on account of lack of air, circulation and food. If you 
are growing dahlias satisfactorily continue your present methods. If not follow the above instructions and 
your dahlias should do well for you. 
A more complete printed instruction sheet on “How to Grow Dahlias” will be enclosed with each order 
of dahlias sent out or a copy of these instructions may be had upon request. 
KENDAL DAHLIAS GROW ANYWHERE 
Growing Dahlias from Seed 
Dahlias are easily started and grown from seed as tomatoes, cabbage or pepper, with bloom in the 
first season and will make as large bushes and produce as many flowers as if grown from roots. They 
will, at the s'ame time, produce roots that will give you, almost invariably, the same kind of flower as the 
plant gave the preceding year. Roots will invaribly produce the same kind of plant and flowers as pro¬ 
duced the root; however, this is not true of seed. Seed will produce seedling Dahlias which will be entirely 
different varieties, and while some may resemble the parent plant, it will always be different, and in many 
casesi the plants, foliage and flower from the seed will be so different as to have no resemblance whatever 
to the parent. This is because the Dahlia has been so highly developed through a long period of years 
from a tropical and semi-tropical plant to a plant that now produces more beautiful flowers in the north 
temperature zone than its original ancestors did when it was first found growing wild in Mexico, and also 
KENDAL DAHLIA GARDENS, IN C—Sandusky, Ohio 
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