LEBANON, OHIO 
Fertilizing 
I N GENERAL it is not wise to fertilize dahlias at planting. In case this is done take 
care that fertilizer does not come into contact with or near to the tuber or plant. 
First, plant in good productive soil. Second, see that the soil contains each season a 
good proportion of humus. Rye sowed each fall after dahlias are dug and spaded or 
plowed under when of suitable height in the spring will liven the soil and provide 
some humus. Well rotted manure is good and should be applied in the fall or winter, 
never in the spring. 
Avoid all chemical fertilizers. Be sure to use the old-fashioned mixed type of com¬ 
mercial fertilizers. This should be applied starting in July at two week intervals, 
spreading between the plants and raking or cultivating into the top soil. Twenty-five 
pounds per season for 100 dahlias is about right. Bone meal and wood ashes mixed 
with the fertilizer is excellent. 
For run down soil we recommend rotted manure and the fertilizer top dressings 
as described above. Fresh manure of any kind should never be used. 
Disbudding 
V ERY few varieties have natural stems long enough for cut flowers. If you want 
plenty of fine cut flowers for the market, home or exhibition, disbudding is im¬ 
portant. Start from the top and work down, don’t start disbudding at the base of 
the plant. When in July or August the plants first show flower buds at the top, 
select a vigorous bud which you wish to bloom, then take off the side buds and shoots 
on the first two or three joints down from the selected bud. Before this bud will have 
developed into a flower, other branches will have grown up from beneath, and will be 
ready to disbud. Continue to disbud faithfully and it will repay you with more and 
better and larger flowers throughout the season. Most of the varieties we offer in this 
catalogue will naturally produce large flowers without disbudding, but if not disbudded 
the later flowers may become smaller and with open centers. With faithful disbudding 
a constant succession of nice large blooms may be had. Cut off the old blooms as soon 
as the backs become unsightly. This stimulates the plant to produce new buds more 
rapidly and promptly. 
Storing of Dahlia Roots 
S OME folks have trouble keeping their roots over winter, and sometimes lose some. 
Others have no trouble at all. We believe that the greatest loss of roots is caused 
by their becoming too greatly dried on the day they are dug and during the first few 
days or weeks after digging. We recommend that they be not dug too soon after an 
early frost. November 1st is normally soon enough. Watch the weather and if dry 
postpone digging for a while. If abnormally heavy rains start after frost, dig to avoid 
possible root rot on poorly drained soil. 
Call on us at digging time and see how we do it. It may pay you. A few lose their 
roots because of poor methods of digging and do not realize it. 
It is not necessary to cut the tops off before digging. Dig carefully around the 
Dahlia plants, finally removing each clump with a good ball of earth. Cut the stem off 
short and dust it well with powdered sulphur or sulphur containing a little lime. Do 
not expose the roots for any length of time to a drying wind or sun. Prompt action in 
following these directions may prevent loss of roots. Store preferably in a cool base¬ 
ment near the floor but not in a wet place. If basement is warm, store roots as far away 
from heat as possible and protect the clumps by packing in peat moss, sand, ashes, 
leaves, or sawdust and cover the whole container well, placing it as near the floor as 
possible. A little sulphur mixed with packing material is good to prevent mildew. The 
container should be large enough to hold the clumps together with four to six inches 
of packing on each side, underneath and on the top. 
If one has a successful method of storing Dahlia roots, we do not recommend 
changing. Inspection of the roots at weekly intervals during November and December 
will often enable one to anticipate loss. 
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