WHEN TO PLANT. Should you desire a mass of 
color for landscape effect or a number of smaller 
blooms to cut, early planting is recommended. For 
exhibition blooms later planting is advisable, unless you 
intend to cut back, prune and disbud systematically. 
Dahlias should be planted in Southern New England, 
Southern New York State, Pennsylvania and North 
Jersey between May 15th and June 15th, while in 
South Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and interior 
States of the same latitude the planting period extends 
from May 1st to July 1st; North Carolina from April 
15th on, South Carolina and Georgia from April 1st on, 
advancing through Florida to January in the citrus fruit 
belt. Farther north, where hot Summers are less harm¬ 
ful and early frosts are prevalent, planting may com¬ 
mence as soon as danger of frost is over. In the 
northern parts of the United States and Canada we 
recommend starting dahlia roots or plants in a cold 
frame in pots or in squares of inverted sod, so they 
can be planted in your garden without disturbing the 
feed roots. Should the top growth be over 6 inches at 
time of planting out it would be well to top out, leav¬ 
ing preferably two nodes above the ground, see P on 
Drawing X. When green plants are grown in 2 to 2*/2- 
inch pots, as soon as a good root growth is developed 
they should be repotted in 3 to 4-inch pots and 
pinched out at time of re-potting. 
HOW TO PLANT. When planting large flowering 
dahlias, the rows should be from 4 to 5 feet apart, or 
from 6 to 10 square feet should be allowed for each 
plant. A novel way to plant is to place your stakes 
4x5 feet apart, and plant a root or plant on each 
side of the stake so that stalk will be about 2 inches 
from the stake. This will allow better air circulation 
and more room for cultivation. Varieties will not mix 
by growing them together and should one plant fail, 
there will be no blank spaces. 
Do not plant roots or plants in or over hot manure 
or any quantity of compost. Although practiced by 
some, we do not recommend the use of any potato, 
dahlia fertilizer or bone meal in the hole directly under 
the dahlia root or plant, as there is too much danger 
of injuring the tender feed roots, but rather suggest a 
broadcast application, as recommended above after 
spading. The stunt in dahlia plants can often be 
traced to the burning of the feed roots caused by 
excessive chemical feeding. 
ROOTS should be planted in trenches or holes, 4 
inches deep in heavy soil and b inches deep in sandy 
soil, laid flat down (not on end) and covered with 
earth not over 2 inches in depth, filling in as the plant 
develops. Where drainage is poor keep a furrow open 
between rows to facilitate drainage in wet weather. 
GREEN PLANTS. After removing moss and paper 
pots from plants that have been shipped, soak ball 
of dirt in water a few minutes, then plant them with 
the top of the ball of dirt about 3 inches below the 
ground level and cover the top of the ball of dirt 
Zl f° I inch. In locations where there is danger of 
flooding, or poor drainage, do not plant quite this 
deep. Water thoroughly once if ground is dry and 
then protect with open basket or open crate for a few 
days as a partial protection from the sun and wind, 
covering only when protection is needed. Then start 
cultivating. Fill in gradually as the plant develops. 
For cut worms, scatter poison bait the evening of 
planting. See "Cutworms." 
Where dahlia plants are to be set in heavy soil it 
is advisable to at least prepare the hill by mixing sand 
or the medium coarse part of coal ashes into the 
ground where the plants are to be set. The dirt can 
also be washed off the roots and the roots straight¬ 
ened out, which will, however, check the growth of 
the plant about a week. Plants will make better bushes 
and clumps in heavy soil if hills are prepared, but it 
is not at all necessary in light soil. 
It is best to set plants without cutting back to get 
feed roots started. After the plants have established 
themselves you can top back with safety. 
Cut all plants back to two or three pairs of leaves 
above the ground, or at least pinch out the top to 
cause the plant to branch. When plants have been 
shipped a distance and lower leaves are somewhat 
yellowed, do not top until plants have started to grow. 
Where dahlia plants are grown with only a reason¬ 
able amount of fertilizer and water they are apt to 
make more roots than when grown in the midst of 
plenty. To produce roots on plants use a balanced 
plant food, as recommended under Fertilizer, but not 
to excess, and water only when necessary to produce 
a good, healthy, but not soft growth. When setting 
plants the last of June for September blooms, we 
recommend disbudding, according to Drawings X, Y 
and Z. When planting a month earlier it will be 
necessary to cut the fast growing varieties back 
severely about six weeks before you want blooms, 
leaving about one-half the growth and not more than 
six laterals for the first blooms. Then disbud these, as 
shown on Drawings X or Y, as soon as branches de¬ 
velop sufficiently. This cutting back will give the plant 
an oversupply of feed roots, which will start root pro¬ 
duction at once. On digging in the Fall you will find 
mature roots, where on plants not cut back you will 
find more fibrous or feed roots. 
In growing Dahliadel green plants, only the strong¬ 
est cuttings are potted, and again the best plants are 
selected for filling orders. This assures you of the 
best stock procurable. 
PINCHING OUT and DISBUDDING 
PINCHING OUT is indicated on Drawings X and Y 
at P and P2, first and second pinching out, respec¬ 
tively. We recommend this system for most varieties. 
The smaller a plant is when pinched out, the quicker 
it will heal and branches develop. 
Allow only one main stalk to grow (never more than 
two). Pinch out the crown or center above the second 
pair of leaves. The principle of taking out the center 
is to develop the eyes, which are located at the base 
of the leaves. The top pair of eyes will make them¬ 
selves evident in surprisingly short time, and these 
shoots or branches on most varieties should be pinched 
back again, P2 unless they are short stemmed varie¬ 
ties. In that case, they should be side pruned as 
indicated at F in Drawing Y, leaving not more than 
one pair of eyes on each branch. By the time these 
get a start, the second or lower set of eyes on the 
main stalk will have developed along with those above. 
These stems should bear the first four to six flowers. 
DISBUDDING, as indicated by T in drawings, is the 
pinching or rolling out of the small bud growing at 
the base of each leaf. These can be cut out with a 
pointed knife if they have developed considerably 
before disbudding. 
23 
