DAHLIA CULTURE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 182, 22 October 1927, Page 26 (Supplement)

DAHLIA CULTURE

Dahlias are easily grown and there is no mystery in growing the large blooms that you see in the dahlia shows. We offer the following suggestions on their culture: Do not plant too early, select your planting place in an open, sunny position away from trees and buildings. Prepare the soil by digging 12 to 18 inches deep. After this dig holes about 6 inches deep and 4 feet apart and mix a handful of bone meal or pulverised sheep manure in each hole, mixing it thoroughly with the soil and plant the tuber flat on its side with the eye or sprout facing upward. Then cover with about 3 inches of soil, leaving the balance to be filled in as the plant grows. Remember the size of the tuber makes no difference. A small tuber will give just as large blooms as a big tuber. After two weeks, if more than one sprout comes up, remove all but the strongest sprout. As soon as the plant has grown to show three* sets of leaves the top should be pinched out. This causes the plant to branch out and in some cases does away with staking. Cultivate and hoe at least once a week, being careful not to hoe too deep as to injure the small feeder roots; keep the beds free from weeds. If the season is very dry, water thoroughly at least once a week. After the buds appear the ground should be mulched with manure or a handful of bone meal, as the fertiliser given the plant now will help feed the buds and give you larger blossoms. Further information on this subject will be given during the growing season.