DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 23692, 27 September 1940, Page 10

DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB

At the fortnightly meeting of the above club, held on Tuesday evening, Mr J. Passmore spoke on the dahlia at some length, explaining fully its history and cultivation. The dahlia was at the present time one of the most popular of flowers. It was easily grown, and its flowering season was from January till frost cut it down. The flowers were numerous and of beautiful colourings. Things necessary for their culture were good, healthy plants, plenty of manure and water; also well cultivated and manured soil. Plants were bettor left in the ground till this time of the year, when they could be lifted and divided up and replanted. The new shoots came fronj the hard part or neck of the plant, not from the bulb itself; and care had to be taken when dividing up so as to take a bulb or two with a piece of tlxe hardened stem attached. This was where the eyes were, and they could be seen on close observation. One good shoot was all that was required to make a nice shaped plant. All the other shoots should be removed. Plant with the eye or shoot below the surface of the soil and stake with 4ft 6in stakes, and keep the soil clear of weeds. In December a dressing of garden manure, 4oz to the square yard, was beneficial. For good blooms it was necessary to disbud They could also be grown from seed. If sown in October, thov would bloom towards the end of February Mr Passmore also dealt with gladioli, which should be iplantcd now and Inter for succession of bloom. They required good, fresh soil, but ucro difficult when grown continuously in one place. Good, clean bulbs were essential, and super, was a safe manure to use. They also could he grown from seed, which gave vigorous plants, or from conns which came true to the parent plant. On the motion of Mr Blackburn. Mr Passmore was accorded a vole of thanks for bis instructive address.