DAHUADEl NURSERIES 
NOT PINCHED BACK 
Drawing Z is another system, which is recommended 
for some varieties but can be used for most dahlias 
(except crotch bloomers) should you desire to see one 
early bloom. Our reason for not recommending this is 
that dahlias are not at their best in the hot weather 
and this one bloom is not always up to expectation. 
Again, the right half shows normal branch and bud 
development when not disbudded, with most of the 
growth in the top of the plant. There are, however, a 
few varieties that need the mature foliage on the main 
stalk to keep the roots functioning properly, so when 
removing this crown bloom leave the central stalk and 
leaves on the plant but disbud the entire stalk, as 
shown on the left half of drawing. 
Key Letters Used in Index 
The key letter just ahead of the price is our recom¬ 
mendation of the system to use in topping and dis¬ 
budding for each variety listed. 
V Do not disbud. For early blooms pinch out once or 
twice as indicated on right side of Drawings X and 
Y. For later blooms, cut back to about 6 inches 
above ground 6 weeks before you want blooms 
when growing in light soils; in heavy soil allow 7 to 
8 weeks. Always leave the side shoots or branches 
to come into bloom. This system works very well 
for the smaller type dahlias; such as, miniature, 
pompon, single, orchid flowering, anemone, and 
collarette; also for the larger dahlias when grown 
for mass color and landscape effects. 
W Cut back six weeks before you want bloom leaving 
about six small branches for your first six blooms 
and disbud as soon as laterals are large enough by 
following Drawing X, if stems are naturally long, 
and Y when stems are short. 
X, Y, Z See Drawings. 
IRRIGATION 
When your dahlias need water, wet the ground so 
it will penetrate about a foot deep when growing in 
light soil. In heavy soil, watering need not be as 
heavy, as it may be followed by a rain and over-water¬ 
ing may result. Cultivate as soon as sufficient drainage 
has taken place, and do not water again until necessary, 
which will be in about a week. 
Except as recommended below for insect control, do 
not spray your dahlia bushes, nor sprinkle the surface 
of the ground every night or so, for this will only pack 
the surface, preventing air circulation and causing the 
soil to crust and dry rapidly in the sunshine. This also 
draws the feed roots to the surface, to be sickened by 
the heat of the sun's rays. The flowers produced are 
soft and the root development very poor, low in vitality 
and hard to winter. 
TILE DRAINAGE can be easily and inexpensively in¬ 
stalled in heavy soil for irrigating in dry weather and 
afford drainage in wet weather. Arrange your rows of 
dahlias with the natural slope and where each row of 
dahlias is to be planted, dig a trench about 15 inches 
deep and place in it a row of porous drainage tile with 
a uniform fall toward the low end. Connect the rows 
of tile across at top and bottom (glazed sewer tile 
tees suggested), install a gate valve at the low corner, 
and pipe off so that the water will readily drain away. 
On the high corner of your garden, install a vertical 
tile stand pipe in which a float valve or hose can be 
used for filling. In wet weather, leave the gate valve 
open to drain. In dry weather, close the gate and run 
water in the stand-pipe until you have given your 
dahlias a good drink by sub-irrigation. This system can 
be made still more efficient by filling in around the 
drainage tile with a coarse porous material, such as 
coarse ashes or coarse sand, before filling level with 
regular garden soil. This installation will not be un¬ 
sightly and last indefinitely. 
Automatic overhead irrigation is the most satisfactory 
all-round system for light soils. It is ideal for the early 
growing season and we recommend its use in the middle 
of the day in bright sunshine during this period, as it 
will discourage thrips and leaf hoppers and control red 
spider. If insects are bad we recommend sprinkling 
every two or three days from I to M /2 hours each 
time until insects are under control, then harden the 
plants off with less water and more cultivation. This 
will not only discourage insects but help the plants 
out-grow the insect injury. When bushes are well 
developed and buds breaking it is best to water after 
nightfall, less often and more thoroughly. Once a week 
should be sufficient in real dry weather. 
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