The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-29
TINE TO PLANT DAHLIAS
METHODS THIT PRODTCE THE
LARGEST MOONS.
The Proper Soil and Situation Feeding
Time for the nahlin- Varieties That
Give the Hest Results for the Amateur
CRrc OI DahlIa aOOts IN waiter.

Now Is the time for planting the most
gorgeous of our summer and fall flowers,
he dahiia, slii a SUCCESSFUL Jersey
ngrs'ryman The FIRST step ~ course
Is IN select the right spot Tor growing
them
The roo-ar1rd lighter The sod the
bettar tho dlhlla plants will grow. They
will thrive inst 10 well m N" I'm n in a
shady corner. with the differ noe that
'hass IN o. sunny spot will be more
dwarfed aud The flower will come earlier
and 90 greater pr1iusi0n.
-Tp prepare a dah,il bed carefully
cultivate and turn tho soil. baing careful
not - add manurn 4 any kind. Rich
and MANFRED .oil has a tendency 90 pro-
duce luHuFiant foliage but few flowers.
Where the soil j. rich ! advise spread
ing over il a heavy layer u coal ashes
and thoroughly -padinR Il in.
Tho dahlia l. not a hardy root and
therefor must not 10 put into the ground
gnti all danger u frost h over. ! have
had better succe-s with roots planted in
June than with tho-s put out in May
Put tho tubers carefully IN the ground.
laying them horizIntally about three
inrhsz below the surface and covering
them carefully. Stakes connected by
wires should he set up, a stake for each
uher. In my own dahlia beds l put In
the stakes first.
After putting in the tubsrs there l.
nothing % do but keep ~ weeds until
the plants make their appearance. AZ
-oOn AZ the sho0ts appear above the
ground they should be well watered
twice each week aud the ground around
them stirred once day. The feeding
roots arr very near the surface and the
admission u air is one q tho greatest
benefits YOU can give the plants
II moro than one -hoot comes mp from
the same tuber the weaker shoots must
he pinched or cut n below the surface
A. soon az the plant b a foot high Il
should b. tied ~ tho stake and ~ soon
a. IL adds another foot 90 t. stature the
feeding proCezs must begin
The bsst food N give il az this time
j. a circle ~ we'll rotted stable manure
placed around the plant 10 tho depth Of
three or four inches This not only feeds
the newly formed roots ~ the tuber hut
serves o. keep the surface cool and moist.
II a dwarf bushv plant II desired the
pruning should begin soon after the feed
ing j. put IN 70 gain this end pinch
tho crown of tho plant hack at least two
inches
Under ordinary circumstances I do
not recommend surh pruning The hest
results in the average garden are o. bs
had hy allowing the plant 20 grow IL
natural way. only cutting uut 90 thinning
the branches when they grow 40 rank a.
% keep out the sun and ~ binder the
perfect maturity 81 the blooms When
pruning - this sort b. done you should
prtIne back 90 the very stalk. leaving no
stub
Just a. soon A. tho fowsr buds form
the manure about the plant should he
removed and an application Of nitrate Of
soda. one ounce 10 FIVE gallons Of water,
given 10 the soil in a circle. being careful
never 20 let the liquid come nearer than
one foot u the stem % the plant. This
application should bs repeated every
three days and the first blooms that
come on a plant 80 treated will be tho
largest thai Il oan produce.
In watering such plants you should be
careful never 10 do u while the sun IA
shining on them n any insects should
attack your dahlias q weak solution Of
paris green In cold water applied with a
fine syringe or a Whisk broom will gst
rid Of them.
As dahlias will not give their hest
blooms until August all buds that appear
on plants treated ~ ! have described
should he picked ~ when young. This
b. the hest way 10 insure perfectly shaped
flowers. " tho blooms are impsrFectly
shaped Il indicates thas tho plant r. not
yet strong enough and needs more liquid
feeding and a more iprolOn gsd taste Of
August weather.
September frosis win often kill enough
% the plant 70 stop blooming. but q a
light framework u stakes about two feet
taller than the highest part n the plant
and covered with muslin or canvas er-
tending down 10 the ground all around
n slipped over them nc night they will
not be injured. Once the hrut iroais kavu
passed IN the vicinity % New YORK m
usually have splendid a0WorinR Woa6hur