4 
KUNZMAN, NEW ALBANY, INDIANA 
For Larger Blooms 
If you leave the Dahlia plant alone, it will form a bushy 
tangle with a lot of branches and foliage and the blooms will be 
small and few in number with short stems. This will also short' 
en the blooming period. Just let the plant grow until the first 
group of buds form at the top. Leave the center or terminal 
bud and pinch off all the others. 
If you wish a long, straight stem as well, pinch off the small 
branches or shoots and leave some of the branches below so that 
they in turn can bear their flowers. 
If you want a low, bushy plant, pinch out the top as soon 
as there are three or four pairs of leaves there. This will make 
a spreading plant which will support itself and doesn’t need 
stakes. 
Harvesting 
Some people seem to think it is quite a trick to keep Dah' 
lias over the winter and yet it is only a case of common sense 
and ordinary care. Wait until after the frost has nipped the 
Dahlias and the tops are blackened. Leave them in the soil a 
few days after that so the strength can go out of the stalks back 
into the roots. However, don’t let them freeze. Cut the stalk 
off at the ground. Lift the root clumps out with a garden fork. 
Don’t try to pull them out. 
Storing 
The storing of Dahlias is very important. In fact, I know 
of some people who refuse to grow them because they say they 
have no place to store them. That’s a poor excuse for storing 
is another case of common sense and does not involve anything 
complicated. 
There are as many different methods recommended by as 
many different Dahlia experts. Probably each one has his own 
way. I am going to tell you what I believe is the easiest way. 
First, remember Dahlia roots or tubers must not be either 
too moist or too dry. Keep them away from either extreme. Do 
not let them get too cold or too warm. Keep the temperature 
around 40° although it may go as high as 50° or as low as 35°, 
providing the roots are protected. It is a good thing to keep a 
thermometer around and keep tab on the temperature. 
Put the Dahlias in boxes. Put sand or loose, dry dirt, peat 
moss or even ashes in the bottom of the box. Don’t put too 
