GARDEN NOTES

Chronicle (Levin), 16 October 1946, Page 2

GARDEN NOTES

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Dahlias are starting to shoot now and niust be properly treated if they are to give a good display. It is not necessary, however, to give the same treatment to all types. The giant deeorations are . the ones which . call for most attention in the way of feeding, as size of bloom is important and immense flosvers can be obtained as the result of heavy feeding. Dahlias are not particular and will take anything — animal manure, rotted grass clippings, compost, etc., but it is as well to give them something bulky which will retain some moisture rather than depend entirely on such things as blood and bone. Dahlias do not seem to suffer from being grown several years in succession in the same bed, but if they are to be replanted in exactly the same spot the ground should be well dug after the tubers are lifted and left a few days to aerate. Then when replanting is done a good supply of nourishment can be worked into each hole well belovv where the tuber will root. If pressed for time, the lifting and dividing of the smaller tyires, such as charms, poms, etc., can be left for a season, but do not leave -them "more tlLan flowering periods in the garden as the tubers would then become very o\ ercrowdcd with consequent deterioration of the blooms. Another point about the smallflowered dahlias is that it is not csseutial when replanting to reduce each cluinp to oue tuber only as oue should do with the larger sorts. It very much depends on the progress made by the plant during the past season how much of it are replants; do not replace any portion with weak, spindiy top-growth — choose rather the tubers which are skowing sliort, strong shoots. It is often noted that dahlias are plauted in beds by themselves and,| while a good eifect is obtained by this! metliod, it is a very unimaginative formj of gardening. ' Dahlias ean be treated j as perennial plants and worked into: ruany attraetive garden pictures if colour schemes are well considered. The taller dahlias in pink, rose and; mauve shades, aiso darlc red, can be' interplanted with Alichaelmas daisiesj wliich will come on towards the end of j the dalilia season and help to lighteni the heavy mass of bloom and also dis- i g.uise any deiiciencies in quality of bloom whicli might otherwise be a))parent. Gold and bronze dahlias can bei used with heleniuins and other autumn! flowering perennials. There are muny possibilities where the chann and pora dahlias are concerned. Pink and mauve shades can be used xvith scabious, intermediate antirrhinums, dwarf chrysanthemums of the Korean type, and zinnias of selected colours. The Lilliput ziiinias are spocially useful as a foreground for charms and poms, and can be had in separate colours if seed is bouglit, though plants for sale seeni invariably to be of the "mixed" order which rules out any colour scheming. As an edging plant thn soft mauve- blue ageratum can bei given pride of place to set ofli a grouping of the above-mentioned plants. Get away from the "dahlia-bed" idea if jmu cah nnd think out a more original and attraetive way of displaying your dahlias.