GROWING DAHLIAS 
SUCCESSFULLY 
There is no magic wand to be used in growing good 
dahlias and no secrets that the Grower is holding back. 
It has often been said that dahlias will grow in any soil. 
This is nearly true but it is true that the better the 
soil the better your dahlias will be. It is necessary to 
spade or plow the soil as deeply as possible and any 
well rotted manure or compost material spread over the 
soil in late fall to remain during the winter months 
will add greatly to the soil structure when turned under 
in the spring. 
Dahlias should have all day sun if possible, but half 
day sun will be good providing it is the morning sun. 
If in too much shade the stalks will be slim and weak 
and the flowers of a poor color and substance with very 
poor keeping quality. 
Plant your dahlia roots flat six inches deep in heavy 
soil and eight inches in light soil placing a strong stake 
at each root. Three feet apart for the large exhibition 
varieties and 18 inches for the miniatures and Poms. 
If you are crowded for room a dahlia root may be placed 
at each side of the stake, North and South. You get better 
exhibition blooms by running the rows North and South. 
Little or no water is needed till the plants are about 
10 or 12 inches high but keep the ground worked so that 
it does not cake at any time. If the weather gets very 
warm and the grown is drying out give them a real 
soaking to a depth of at least 8 inches, then cultivate the 
second day after. When the first buds appear it is good 
to give them a dressing of a well balanced fertilizer with 
a nitrogren content not over 3%. Use about ten pounds 
to a,50 ft. row working it into the soil along both sides 
of the row. 
When buds form they need plenty of water, this means 
a good soaking at least every ten days. To secure the 
best blooms pinch out the two side buds from each 
cluster of buds leaving the center and stronger one to 
develop. This will give you longer stems and much 
larger blooms. 
Very few pests bother the dahlia. Spray well at first 
signs of thrip or aphis. We like the Evergreen spray for 
this purpose. Slugs are the most destructive of any pests. 
They can be successfully controlled by ringing the plants 
with any of the good slug baits now on the market. 
Occasionally a dahlia from another locality will not 
respond to its best when planted in a new temperature. 
Save this one and plant again the following season when 
it very likely will be greatly improved. 
