Gladiolus Care and Culture 
CULTURAL DIRECTIONS IN BRIEF 
Excellent blooms can be had if you follow these brief instructions. Gladiolus can be planted 
in any kind of soil where they will have full sunlight all day. No other plants or trees should be al- 
lowed to take their share of the moisture, sunlight and food. Good drainage is essential. Water is necessary 
but Glads do not stand wet feet. Frequent cultivation keeps down weeds and conserves moisture in the soil. 
Any good garden fertilizer is good if applied three times during the season. Our method is 
to appy it (1) in the trench at planting time, (2) as a side dressing when the plants are about 6 inch- 
es high and (3) again just as the buds break through the sheath. A thorough watering with or just after 
each side dressing will help in making the fertilizer available and will give the Glads that extra stretch 
you want. We plant to plow under one or two lots of green manure (cover crop of rye, rye grass, 
clover, or other good material) before we plant the crop. This provides the needed humus in the soil. 
Gladiolus can be protected from thrip (a tiny insect) in storage and in the field by the 
use of 5% DDT. Bulbs in storage should be dusted as soon as dug with 5% DDT Dust and again after 
the bulbs are dry and cleaned (old bulbs and roots removed). This dust will do no harm if left on the 
bulbs even after planting. The plants should be dusted in the field or sprayed with 5% DDT solution. 
For spray mix | tablespoonful of 50W DDT with 1 gallon of water. Overdosing will do no harm. Dust or 
spray every 7-10 days from the time the plants are 6 inches high. 
When cutting blooms be sure to leave at least 4 good leaves on the plant to mature the bulb. 
Dig when the frost kills the tops. Cut the top off as close to the bulbs as possible and store the bulbs 
in bags or screen bottom trays. If you store in bags, be sure and leave the tops of the bags open for the 
circulation of air through the bulbs. Dust with 5% DDT Dust or Spergon Gladiolus Dust. Spergon 
Gladiolus Dust has DDT in it so one dusting will serve two purposes—a protection against disease and 
against thrip. Dry the bulbs in a cool airy place for two weeks or more or until the roots and the old 
bulb can be easily removed. Then clean them (remove the old bulb, roots, dirt and bulblets) dust again 
with either DDT dust or Spergon Gladiolus Dust and put away for the winter. Winter storage should be 
between 45 and 60 degrees, should be dry and should have air circulation. The fungus diseases of Gladi- 
olus thrive in cool, damp storage with no air circulation. Be sure to dust all additions to your collection 
of bulbs with DDT no matter who they come from. 
Sort and discard any bulbs in the spring that show any signs of disease or rot. Dip before 
planting in New Improved Ceresan, using 1 oz. N. I. Ceresan, 3 tablespoons of Grasselli Spreader 
Sticker to 3 gallons of water. 15 minutes for bulbs and 30 minutes for bulblets is safe. DO NOT EX- 
TEND THIS TIME. Plant as soon as possible while the bulbs are still wet. BE SURE YOU GET THE 
NEW IMPROVED CERESAN, NOT CERESAN M. 
DETAILED CULTURAL INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE SENT WITH EVERY ORDER. 
Dahlia Culture 
Dahlias should not be planted until the ground warms up in the spring. Here we plant between May 
15th and June 15th. They will grow in good garden soil, well fertilized and containing plenty of humus. 
This can be supplied by plowing under a cover crop the preceding year. Tubers should be planted at 
least three feet apart each way and the larger kinds can use even another foot each way when well eTown. 
Place the tuber horizontally in the bottom of the hole about six inches deep. Cover about 2 
inches and finish filling the hole as the plant grows. Stakes should be put in at the time of planting 
rather than later and stakes 5 feet long are usual. 
To produce the best bloom on the larger growing kinds pinch out all buds except the center 
one on every lateral branch. Pinch out two out of every 3 buds that form along the stalk or along the 
laterals, allowing only one bud to grow in every group of three. This will increase the size of bloom 
and length of stem. 
Dig the plants after the first frost kills the tops. Cut the tops off at once. Dry in the 
sun a few hours before storing and store in boxes or barrels in a cool place. 45 degrees is best. Cover 
the boxes or barrels with newspapers or wrap each clump in paper to keep it from drying out. Wax 
paper such as old bread papers are very effective wrapping. 
GARDEN and BUSH FRUITS 
We grow several acres of Strawberries, Raspberries and garden roots. Ask for our list. 
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