Evening star., 1926-05-08
Gardening in Washington
IND IT'S ENVIRONS
CHESTER J. HUM Garden Editor, The
D.AIILIAS.
md IT'S ElNVIRONS

1lahllaS succeed well in any ordinary
: garden soil. They do not like shade
OF confinement. hence should not be
( 0tlntcd under trees. The soil need
erot be rich, but It is very important
rIat it is deeply dug before planting
s.tmc. ana that the ground. up until
s.huds begin to appear, should be fre-
#Gucntly cultivated. After Il ram or q
.sWatering the ground should be lightly
.lhOed or rakcd over to loosen the sur
ftace. This admits air. avoids baking,
''copserveS moisture and prevents the
VgroWing OF weeds.
E, Dahlias should he planted in rows
3 80 ! feet apart each way. II plant
Red in quantities it is well to set two
crows feet apart, then move 1eet
,s.tway for the next row. ctc. Visitors
a~hould then keep to the 5-foot spaces
.sin going over the garden.
s Planting should be timed so that the
flowers may be expected to come INTO
bloom in late Summer when nights are
getting cool and mornings damp. In
gthe locality Of Washington dahlias
may he planted any time between May
- and July ! to give best results.
Those planted late will not produce
50 many flowers. but they will be of
The tuberS should be planted from
{ 20 inches deep, laying them fiat
with the sprouts upward. Before
planting there should be dug into the
ground around each hill a handful of
bone meal or Il ShoVel-full Of well
rotted manure There should be
driven into the ground near the Sprout
nud OF the tuher Il strong stake or
6 feet long. Stakes set at planting
I., yylg. = hR "a
- no danger Of driving through the
.1nhers or destroying roots as is the
..'aSe if not Staked until later in the
season; moreover. if stalking is de
fcrred it is likely to be neglected until
'the plants get large enough to he
blown over. Tie the plants securely
a. growth proceeds.
Never leave more than one stalk 10
n hill, but do not pull them Off. as
YOU are likely TO remove the whole
mass of sprouts and sometimes the
eve, and thus render the tuber worth
less.
When the sprout has four or five
leaves it is well to pinch out the top.
branches will come out at the axis
sof the leaves. thus giving u we'll bal
Rpced bush.
DiSbudding-In order 10 have the
largest and best blooms it is necessary
10 disbud. The process IS simple.
Buds usually appear in threes at the
,ends of the branches. Unless th!nned
suut all these buds will try TO develop
and the blooms will be small and in
significant. Carefully pick off the side
buds. leaving the terminal one then
20 down the branch. picking out all
buds and side branches for l. TO is
inches or for q sufficient distance 70
give Il stem of the desired length for
The flower when cut. Any branches
below this point may be allowed 10
remain and they in turn should be dis
Shudded :n the same manner as growth
proceeds.
Tertilizcr-After buds form it is well
40 give a top dressing every three or
-Four weeks to keep up the fertility OF
5ho soil and thus have . succession OF
big blooms. Use sheep manure, acid
phosphate and potato fertilizer. using
one of these at each application. OF
she sheep manure use a small handful
10 each plant. well scattered over the
ground; of the fertilizers a handful to
-four or six plants. This need not be
placed near the stalk but should be
well scattered between the rows.
After applying il is we'll to lightly
rake it into the ground, and d good
Watering is also beneficial to carry the
fertili2ing properties directly to the
TOOtletS.
cut fowers-E'or best keeping re-
suits. dahlia blooms should be cut in
he early morning While the leaves are
svet with dew and the stalks are full Of
zap. However. they sometimes wilt
after being cut. particularly in hot
weather. or in the hot dry atmosphere
of a dwelling house. To obviate this
iip inches of the stem in boiling
water for a quarter of a minute, then
plunge it deeply into cold water,
changing the water once or twice a
day. and keeping out of doors at night.
NATIONAL CAPITAL DAHLIA AND
IRIS SOCIETY.