SGrows DAHLIADEL NURSERIES 
Potash Fed 
DAHLIAS 
O 
FERTILIZER 
Of the ten elements considered absolutely neces- 
sary to plant growth, we find nitrogen, phosphorus 
and potassium the prime essentials and the ones 
most lacking. 
Nitrogen stimulates the growth above ground, 
producing large bushes and flowers, but if used to 
excess the flowers will be soft, wilting readily, and 
the bushes will be overgrown and lower the vitality 
of the roots. Nitrogen is found naturally in humus 
(decomposed vegetable matter or manure). It can 
best be supplied in animal matter, such as bone 
meal, tankage or manure. 
Phosphoric acid increases the root development, 
especially the laterals and fibrous roots, strengthens 
the plant growth and gives substance to the bush 
and flowers. It also aids in ripening the roots. This 
element is found in bone meal; tankage and acid 
phosphate, with a small amount available in ma- 
nures. 
Potash is the balancing agent for nitrogen and 
phosphoric acid. It gives color to the flowers and 
foliage, and vigor and tone to the plant in general. 
It is an essential in starch formation and aids in the 
maturing of well-nourished roots. This is found in 
wood ashes, muriate or sulphate of potash. 
Fertilizer to be applied before planting. Scatter 
broadcast after spading and mix thoroughly into the 
topsoil to every 100 square feet of ground or to 
each 10 dahlia hills. 
5 Ibs. raw bone meal. 
( 10 lbs. Unleached wood ashes, or 
| 1 Ib. Muriate or sulphate of potash, not both. 
An additional 5 lbs. bone meal may be spaded in 
with or before the above application if ground is 
very poor. 
Fertilizer or top dressing to be applied about 
August 15. Scatter broadcast over ground, not clos- 
er than 6 inches nor more than 18 inches from the 
stalk and rake in, to every 10 hills. 
( 114 lbs. Raw bone flour, or 
| 3 Ibs. Raw or steamed bone meal, not both. 
( 114 Ibs. Animal tankage, or 
| 4 Ibs. Sheep manure, not both. 
(3 
lbs. Unleached wood ashes, or 
| VY lb Muriate or sulphate of potash, not both. 
Manuring is not necessary, even in light soil, if 
the above formula is used, but an application of 
horse or cow manure or compost in the Fall is very 
good for soils lacking humus. This can be used as 
a top dressing for a cover crop, or dug in by shal- 
low spading in the Fall to help decomposition, then 
spaded in deep about two weeks before planting. 
Don’t use nitrate of soda as.a fertilizer. Don’t try 
to grow exhibition blooms by forcing the life out of 
your stock with sheep or any other manure and ex- 
pect your stock.to do well for you the following 
year without balancing your plant food with phos- 
phoric acid and potash. Exhibition blooms and 
good roots-can be grown at the same time from 
green plants as well as from roots and pot roots 
by following our cultural instructions. 
PLANTING 
WHERE TO PLANT. In selecting a location 
for dahlias, it is essential to have a free circulation 
21 
of air for healthy plant growth and to prevent mil- 
dew. Dahlias need direct sunlight at least 3 or 4 
hours, preferably 6 to 7 hours, each day and should 
not be planted near large trees or dense shrubbery 
which would shade the plants and use moisture and 
plant food. 
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 system- 
atically. 
Dahlias should be planted in Southern New Eng- 
land, 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 plant- 
ing period extends from May lst to July 1st; North 
Carolina from April 15th on, South Carolina and 
Georgia from April 1st on, advancing through Flor- 
ida to January in the citrus fruit belt. Farther north, 
where hot summers are less harmful and early frosts 
are prevalent, planting may commence as soon as 
danger of frost is over. In the northern parts of 
the United States and Canada we recommend start- 
ing 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, leaving 
preferably two nodes above the ground, see P on 
Drawing X. When green plants are grown in 2 to 
214-inch pots, as soon as a good root growth is de- 
veloped they should be re-potted in 3 to 4-inch pots 
and pinched out at time of re-potting. 
HOW TO PLANT. When planting large flow- 
ering 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 4 x 5 feet apart, and plant a root or 
plant at each side of the stake so that stalk will be 
about 2 inches from the stake. This will allow bet- 
ter air condition and more room for cultivation. 
Varieties will not mix by growing them together and 
should one plant fail, there will be no blank spaces. 
However, care should be exercised in not planting 
a strong rapid grower at the same stake with a slow 
or dwarf growing variety. Bush heights should be 
about equal. 
Do not plant roots or plants in or over hot ma- 
nure or any quantity of compost. Although pra- 
ticed by some, we do not recommend the use of any 
potato, dahlia fertilizer or bone meal in the hole di- 
rectly 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 recom- 
mended 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 6 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, or cover sufficiently so that water will 
not stand in the vicinity of the root. 
