effelpful dKints in Qultrvating ^Dahlias 
KENDAHLIA GARDENS, INC. 
SANDUSKY, OHIO 
D AHLIAS 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 fifteenth of June. This is true tor the southern and 
south central states, 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 
incorporated with it; it 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 necessary. 
Cultivate well until buds appear, then stop all cultivation except light raking after each rain or 
watering, just enough to break the crust of ground; only be sure to do this. Clay soil requires more cul¬ 
tivation. 
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 12 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 wtih 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 ten seconds; after either treatment place in cold water and put in cool 
place tree 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 stalks 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 in- 
strutions 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 
D AHLIAS 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 same time, produce roots that will give you, almost invariably, the same kind of 
flower as the plant gave the preceding year. Roots will invariably produce the same kind of plant and 
flowers as produced 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 cases 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 due to the fact that the pollen from one flower is naturally dis- 
KENDAL DAHLIA G A R D E N S , — S a n d u s k y, Ohio 
