Evening star., 1934-05-27

IRON June to June Is Is the
l. accepted period for dahlia
planting In this region. With
i this delayed planting the young
dahlias do not mature in the
heat of Midsummer, but reach their
zenith in early Autumn, when condi-
tions are more favorable to this spe-
cies. The cool nights and short,
bright days of September and Octo-
ber are ideal for the dahlia. Fertil-
the dahlia than with most garden
flowers because the rank growth and
large blooms seem to require an un-
usual amount of sustenance.
Despite good fertilizing before
planting, 1t is not rare to find garden
ers mulching their plants in late
Summer with rotted stable manure.
Some experiments carried on last
Summer at the Connecticut Agricul-
tural Experiment Station indicated
that nitrogen is the most important
fertilizer ingredient for dahlias and
that its absence greatly reduces the
yield. Phosphorus was likewise i'm
portant. In the absence of stable
manure. presumably it would be bet
ter to use at time Of planting COM
plete fertilizer rather high in nitro
gen and PHOSPHORUS. The fertilizer
should be mixed into the soil and not
directly contact the tubers.
In order to grow dahlias success
fully. a stake should be provided for
each hill. If set at the time the roots
are planted, this stake also may be
used as variety marker. Some gar
deners plant their dahlia roots at the
bottom of furrow or depression,
covering only lightly in the beginning
and adding soil as the young shoots
develop.
Some local gardeners gain consid-
cradle pleasure in growing dahlias
from seed, obtainable at certain seed
houses. Among such seedlings, one
obtains an unusual diversity of color
and forms, but no definite assurance
of desirable varieties.
Spring Pruning.
As THE early deutzias, weigelas and
"A other early Spring shrubs pass
their blooming. there comes the best
time In the entire year to thin out the
plants, taking the wood that has just
f1owered and leaving the young, new
shoots. For few weeks, the pruned
plants will appear bit ragged. How
ever, as the new growth natures, the
plants again resume their shape and
the following Spring will reward the
gardener for his care. Accompanying
the pruning should go tillage and feed
ing to insure strong new growth. In
has fowered once does not bloom
again and Is in measure simply a
detriment to the shrub.
Pruning in itself is not of benefit
to the plant but indirectly, as it re-
moves old growth. pruning does favor
the plant. Furthermore. without any
pruning, the plants shortly become
diversified with no vigorous growth near
the base and soon the owner almost
wishes that he had no plant at all.
Moderate annual pruning at the right
season will do much to keep shrubs
attractive.
Tender Plants.
THE past Winter was a crucible in
which all of our ornamental plants
were critically tested. That some were
found wanting is now common knowl-
edge. The information gained in a
measure compenSates for some of the
losses for, through a series of mild
Winters, certain plants not really
hardy in this latitude had gained the
reputation of being fully safe. Among
plants that failed in part at least
might be listed some of the privets,
pyracantha. contoneasters, Grape myr-
tie, blue spirea, mimosas, certain roses
and so forth. However, 1t is to be
hoped that gardeners will not give up
trying to grow many of these plants.
nor is it even desirable that they
should be discarded as useless. The
probability of another such Winter in
the immediate future is remote and,
furthermore, there is hope that as
time passes harder strains will be de-
veloped that can survive similar cold
periods.
In some cases Grape myrtle plants
have survived. apparently the older
plants being somewhat more hardy. In
most cases those myrtles that we're
killed are putting forth new shoots
from the base. So rapidly does the
Grape myrtle grow it is possible that
some Of these new shoots may flower
a little by Autumn. This is possible
because the Grape myrtle is one of the
few shrubs that flower on new growth.
Butterfly bush, or buddleia, also bios
SONS on new wood, and where badly
injured, should be cut back to en-
courage basal growth.
In the future, when planning home
grounds, it would be well to bear in
mind some of the experiences of the
past Winter, and instead of placing
tender plants in prominent positions,
they should better be placed where
their loss is not too striking. Fur
thermore, the shelter of the house may
FARM AND GARDEN,