DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24414, 27 September 1940, Page 8

DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB

At the fortnightly meeting of the Gardening Club on Tuesday evening, Mr J. Passmore spoke on the dahlia at some length, dealing with its history and cultivation. The dahlia -at the present time was 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 the culture of dahlias were good, healthy plants, plenty of manure and water, and also well-cultivated manured soil. Plants were better left in the ground till this time of the year, when they could be lifted and divided up and replanted. The new shoots came from the hard part, or neck, of the plant, and not from the bulb itself; and care had to be taken when dividing up to take a bulb or two with a piece of the hardened stem attached. This was where the eyes were, and they could be seen on close observation. One good shoot was all that was necessary to make a nice shaped plant. All other shoots should be removed. Plant with the eye or shoot below the surface of the soil, and stake with four and a-half foot stakes. Keep the soil clear of weeds. In December a dressing of garden manure, four ounces to the square yard would be beneficial. For good blooms, it was necessary to disbud. They could also be grown from seed. If sown in October, they would bloom towards the end of February. Mr Passmore also dealt with the Gladioli, which should be planted now and later for succession of bloom. They required good, fresh soil, but this was difficult when grown continuously in one place. Good, clean bulbs were essential, and super was a safe manure to use. They could also be grown from seeds, which give ' vigorous plants, or from corms, which come true to the parent plant.