FERTILIZER 
Of the ten elements considered absolutely necessary 
to plant growth, we find nitrogen, phosphorus and 
potassium the prime essentials and the ones usually 
most lacking. However, deficiencies in some of the 
minor elements may upset your plant growth materially. 
NITROGEN stimulates growth above ground, produc- 
ing large bushes with dark green foliage and large 
flowers, while lack of sufficient nitrogen will produce 
a poor general growth. Excessive use of nitrogen from 
any source, especially without the balancing of phos- 
phorus and potash, will produce large soft bushes and 
blooms with weak stems and a very poor root crop to 
keep over winter. The common source of nitrogen is 
humus (decomposed vegetable matter or manure). It 
can be supplied in dry or fresh cow or sheep manure, 
bone meal, dried blood or fish scrap, or in commercial 
fertilizers. 
PHOSPHORUS is very essential in plant growth as it 
strengthens the plant in general, stiffens the stems and 
adds substance to the foliage and blooms. It increases 
root development, especially the lateral and fibrous 
roots, and aids in ripening the roots. Phosphorus along 
with potash helps overcome ill effects of excessive 
nitrogen. The common sources are super-phosphate and 
bone meal. 
POTASH is the balancing agent for nitrogen and 
phosphorus. 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. 
SPRING FERTILIZING. When super-phosphate, potash 
and manure are used as a top dresser as recommended 
under Fall Fertilizing no further fertilizing is necessary 
until after planting. 
With no fall soil preparation, apply broadcast before 
spading, 4 lbs. super-phosphate or 5 lbs. bone meal 
along with 1 Ib. muriate or sulphate of potash or 
recommended substitutes. The above should be com- 
pleted 2 or more weeks ahead of planting. 
SUMMER FERTILIZER OR TOP DRESSING to be ap- 
plied between July 15 and August Ist. Scatter evenly 
around the plant, not nearer than 8 inches or more 
than 18 inches from the stalk, a good general crop or 
potato fertilizer analyzing 
5-10-10 for the average light soil or 
5-10-5 for heavy soil naturally good in potash at the 
rate of 1%4 Ib. per hill, or you can make your own top 
dressing as follows for each 10 hills: 
2 lbs. Bone Meal 
5 lbs. Dry Cow or Sheep Manure 
Y2 |b. Muriate or Sulphate of Potash. 
(Substitute for Potash 5 Ibs. hard wood ashes that 
hes been kept dry until being spread on soil.) 
DAHLIADEL NURSERIES 4 
PLANTING 
WHERE TO PLANT. In selecting a location for dahlias, 
it is essential to have a free circulation of air for healthy 
plant growth and to prevent mildew. 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 systematically. 
Dahlias should be planted in Southern New England, 
Southern New York State, Pennsylvania and North Jer- 
sey 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 Ist to July Ist; North Carolina from April 15th on, 
South Carolina and Georgia from April Ist on, ad- 
vancing 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, pot 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. When plants or stalks get to be 6 inches high 
they should be topped back, leaving preferably two 
nodes above the ground, see P on Drawing X. When 
green plants are grown in 2 to 21/2-inch pots, as soon 
as a good root growth is developed they should be 
re-potted in 3 to 4-inch pots and topped 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 
4 x 5 feet apart, and plant a root, pot root or plant 
at each side of the stake so that stalk will be about 
2 inches from stake. This will allow better air condi- 
tion and more room for cultivation. Varieties will not 
mix in 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 grow- 
ing variety. Bush heights should be about equal. 
Do not plant roots, pot roots or plants in or over 
hot manure or any quantity of compost or fertilizer. 
Although practiced by some, we do not recommend 
the use of any dahlia fertilizer or bone meal in the 
hole directly under, or where it will contact the dahlia 
root, pot root or plant, as there is too much danger of 
injuring the tender feed roots. However, you can use 
old compost with bone meal and wood ashes or recom- 
mended substitutes used in moderation when kept deep 
enough so root, pot root or plant can be planted above 
it in regular garden soil. These holes should be prepared 
SG 
