DAHLIADEL NURSERIES 94030 
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Potash-Fed Dahlias 
Our catalog of dahlias is selected with success for 
our customer always in mind—varieties which will 
grow easier, bloom more and those less temperamental 
under adverse growing conditions. The dahlia today 
is not only a spectacular exhibition flower but has al- 
most unlimited possibilities for arrangement use and 
landscape effect. The Miniatures are steadily growing 
in popularity. We hope this catalog will help you in 
selecting the best dahlias for your garden. 
‘‘Potash-Fed Dahlias’’ is not only an established 
trade name, but a modern and successful method of 
growing dahlias so that they are literally alive with 
energy, assuring you of success. In South Jersey with 
its long growing, season, well-ripened stock can be 
produced that will give the best possible results. We 
have found that dahlias grown in light soil for a pe- 
riod of from one to three years will do wonderfully 
well when moved to heavier soil conditions with no 
time lost for acclimation. 
Most important of all is the health of stock from 
which your plants or roots were grown. This condi- 
tion has its direct effect on the results obtained; for 
an unhealthy plant cannot take up potash, or any 
other element of plant food, in sufficient quant:ties 
while in this condition. Hence, a dahlia must be 
healthy before it can be Potash-Fed. You must 
have the best stock that can be produced to have 
100% success. Buying inferior stock at low cost is 
not an economical way to buy and seldom is the way 
to success. 
SCORING DAHLIAS 
To simplify classification to size and use of the 
dahlia, we have scored all varieties grown at Dahlia- 
del Nurseries according to our new score card found 
on page 28 and used the letter S for small dahlias 
normally growing under 4”, classified as Miniatures; 
B for cut flowers or medium size blooms growing nor- 
mally from 4” to 8”, and A for exhibition blooms of 
8” or over. : 
The above changes in size and the ring system of 
measuring dahlias have been adopted by the American 
Dahlia Society whereby dahlias that pass through 2, 
4 and 8 inch rings will be respectively Pompons, Min- 
iatures and Commercial or Medium class blooms, if 
they meet the other classifications. Dahlias over 8” 
in diameter are classed as Exhibition Blooms. This 
system should be more satisfactory than past hap- 
hazard methods. As the promoter of this idea and 
in order to make this system possible in all dahlia 
shows, we are offering to furnish, free on request, one 
or two sets of these rings to show managers. 
Commercial varieties growing under 8” in most 
cases are very desirable for basket work in dahlia 
shows and are suitable for exhibition in the medium 
or commercial class designated as Class B, in dahlia 
shows using the new A.D.S. Classification. Exhibi- 
tion varieties growing 8” or over in diameter, desig- 
nated as Class A, are winners on the exhibition table, 
having qualities that score high in competitive judg- 
ing, with size, form, stem and color predominating. 
The size of bloom is indicated in inches and the height 
of bush in feet. 
CULTURAL INSTRUCTIONS 
The following directions are based upon years of 
experience and should be of value in solving some of 
your cultural problems. These suggestions should 
be changed to suit local requirements. However, we 
sincerely believe that the fundamental principles in- 
volved will apply throughout the country. 
SOIL PREPARATION 
The dahlia will grow and produce excellent re- 
sults in a wide range of soils, other conditions being 
favorable. It is not so much a matter of soil type as 
it is conditioning. To grow exhibition blooms to 
perfection, the nearer soil can be to ideal the better 
your results will be. Soil should contain enough 
clay to keep the fertility from leaching and also 
enough sand or stones to facilitate drainage. Fifty 
to sixty-five per cent sand is considered ideal. 
As soon as the soil can be worked in the spring, 
it may be further improved by a cover crop of oats 
and field peas. Or, better still, where winters are 
severe, sow rye in September or October. The green 
crop will do no harm during the late blooming sea- 
son, will winter over, and should be turned under 
about two weeks before planting. In New Jersey 
and further south, rye can be sowed after digging 
roots. A cover crop will add organic matter, supply 
humus and further adjust soil conditions. If soil 
is poor, a top dressing of stable or chicken manure, 
after digging roots, in the fall or early winter will 
improve growth: the following year. Chicken ma- 
nure, however, should be used very sparingly. 
A good time to work the soil, when no cover crop 
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is planted, is about a month before planting, digging 
rather deep and thoroughly breaking up all lumps. 
Then rake the ground over about once a week to 
retain moisture. 
DRAINAGE. The primary factor in growing 
dahlias is that of drainage, which in sandy soils is 
well taken care of, but in heavy soils a quantity of 
coarse coal ashes should be dug in and thoroughly 
mixed with the subsoil. Then coarse manure, straw, 
litter or peat moss should be mixed into the top-soil. 
The addition of a good quantity of coarse sand will 
help drainage and aeration wonderfully in compact 
or clayey soil. 
For soggy soil we might suggest ditching 18 or 
more inches deep where the row is to be planted, 
running the ditch with the slope if possible. Fill in 
with coarse ashes, clinkers or any coarse material 
that will not rot, keeping it below spading depth, 
then fill in top with soil mixed with peat moss, sand 
or the part of ashes about the size of corn or a little 
larger. When using peat moss, to each bale, add 4 
pounds of Pulverized Limestone. This will counter- 
act any acidity generated by the peat moss. 
See “Irrigation” for Tile Drainage System. 
LIMING. As a rule, the dahlia does well in a 
neutral to reasonably acid soil. Liming not only 
neutralizes acid, but makes the natural humus in the 
soil available as well as loosening heavy soil. Should 
your soil be inclined to be acid, lime applied at the 
rate of 1 pound to 20 to 30 square feet is a,safe 
practice on medium to heavy soil every 3 or 4 years. 
However a pH test is advisable. a 
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