THE GROWING WORLD OF DAHLIAS

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THEIR CULTURE FOR EXHIBITION.

BY S. WALKER.

The ground should be trenched in the autumn or during the winter months, that is, it should be dug two spits deep, thrown up into ridges, and some good stable manure worked into the trenches. In the spring the ridges should be forked down, and the centre stakes put up in rows 1½- feet from row to row, and 4 feet apart in the rows. When expense need not be considered, square painted stakes are the best, but otherwise ash or hazel stakes will answer the purpose; these should be about 6 feet long. A little rotten manure must now be forked in in front of the stake to give the plant a start; and good strong plants that have been prepared according to the instructions given elsewhere, should be bedded out about the first or second week in June.

Of course, a great deal depends on the weather and situation. I do not consider it safe to plant out in my nursery until this time, and even then I have had the plants cut down by late frost.

The plants should be put in below the level of the soil in a depression, so that when water is given it runs towards the plant rather than away from it, as it would do if the latter were bedded out at or above the level of the surrounding soil. It is a good plan to scatter a ring of soot round each stake, but not in contact with the stem of the plant. By this means, slugs will be prevented from attacking the plants; the soot also acts as a stimulant, applied to the roots by the percolation of the water through the soil after watering.

Next place two sticks, one on each side of the plant, -which must then be secured to the centre stake and to the two side sticks; this prevents the wind from driving it either way, and the sticks are useful for giving the plant another tie as it grows, and before the outer stakes can be used. When necessary, four more stakes should be added, arranged at the comers of a square, around the one mentioned previously. The shoots must be secured by fastening them to the centre and side stakes; this is most important, as the Dahlia suffers more than any other plant from rough winds.
As regards thinning, no hard and fast rule can be laid down, methods must be learned from experience; some of the large coarse sorts require but little thinning while the smaller sorts require much cutting out to get the blooms large enough for the exhibition-board. This work should be done at the end of July or early in August. Remove the weak shoots and disbud, leaving the terminal bud on each shoot that is left.

I have come to the conclusion that shading the blooms is of very little use; round tins on stakes were used extensively at one time, also tables on which the bloom was put, and a flower pot placed over it. These things I have discarded, and all that I now-recommend is a muslin bag, which keeps the insects from the bloom, and improves the light-coloured flowers; but in wet or very hot weather the blooms are better without even tills amount of shade.

I have not dealt with the management under glass, or with situation, soils, manuring, watering, lifting, and storing, as separate articles on these subjects have been written for this work.

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EXHIBITING SHOW AND FANCY DAHLIAS.

BY J. T. WEST.

Many Amateur Dahlia growers grow their blooms better than they stage them, and therefore lose more often than they win at our exhibitions. For many years I adopted and practised successfully the procedure hereinafter described. It is well to go over the plants the day before the show;, and see what blooms will be ready for the morrow on those selected tie loosely a piece of raffia, long enough to be seen when the cutting is going on, for one is apt to get excited as the time draws near, and to overlook some of the finest blooms. Choose blooms, that will improve, rather than, blooms that are just ready, as the latter will be past their best in the course of the next few hours. It may be necessary to cut some twenty-four hours before; in this case, cut the blooms and put them in a dark and cool place, a very requisite precaution indeed when the weather is hot, and dry winds prevail. After going over your plants and marking your blooms, get boxes and show-boards ready (of course, the boards will have been nicely painted a dark green colour), also tubes, corks, and any other things likely to be wanted, leaving nothing to the last minute, so that when once started the cutting can be finished quietly and in good time. Zinc tubes about 4 inches long, and ¾ inch wide inside the flange are most suitable. Corks should be provided to put the blooms in; they should be strong ones, 2 inches long, slightly tapering at each end, so as to fit the tube, and a hole must. be bored large enough to pull the stalk of the Dahlia bloom through right up to the back of the bloom. They can be bought at a cork cutter's, or possibly cut by the grower himself. A cork is better than a wooden reel, such as is often used, for cork swells when near the water, and thus becomes firmly fixed in the tube.

When the time has come to cut the flowers, go systematically over the whole of the plants, not running from one row to another to make sure of the best blooms, which is rather the way to leave them at home. The best time for cutting is the early morning or the cool o'f the evening, not mid-day, when the florets are often soft.

After the blooms are all cut and put into water, proceed to put them in the corks and tubes, ready for travelling. In doing this, hold the cork with the left hand, the right hand holding the flower. Put the end of the stalk in the cork, and pull gently through until it goes right up to the calyx. When nicely adjusted, cut the end of the stalk off, if too long, and use a piece of it as a wedge to fix the bloom in the cork, in order to prevent it from shifting. Now place it firmly in the tube, which has been previously supplied with water, and so proceed until all the blooms are ready to be put direct into the show-box as required for travelling.

On reaching the exhibition, first find out where your class is. Put you show-box as near to it as possible and then proceed to stage your blooms, first- making sure that your show-boards stand secure, for they may have to be moved several times ere they reach their final position. If not secure, they may topple over and spoil your exhibit.

Choose your largest and best flowers for the back row, starting with either a light or dark flower, then place them alternately until the back row is filled. The middle and front rows should be completed, if possible, by arranging light and dark colours diagonally, as in a chess-board pattern, so that no two dark or two light flowers occupy adjacent positions, either in the row or column. Choose blooms that are of high quality and good finish for the front, as these catch the judge's eye. See that all are nicely facing one -way, even, and well off the boards. This done, proceed to name your blooms, writing as plainly as possible, and labelling as neatly as you can. Get your card of entry and place it under your stand, the reverse way up. When all this is completed, remain by your stand until time is up. Then go and wait calmly for the result.
In conclusion, a few general remarks may be helpful. Always choose blooms that have good centres or "eyes," not loose or open; choose those that are fresh, well-finished, and not coarse, in preference to large and rough blooms.

Show flowers are those of one colour, and blooms the petals of which have a lighter ground than the edges and tips; Mrs. Langtry, Shottesham Hero, J. T. West, are all show flowers, viz., light grounds, with heavy edges and tips. Fancy flowers are striped, speckled, or tipped, that is, having a darker ground with a light tip, such as Peacock, Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. J. Downie, and Frank Pearce. If this scheme of classification be adopted, there will be no disqualified stands.

Do not waste time in talking about your blooms to other exhibitors, until the judging is over; many prizes have been lost in this way.

Take more blooms than you require for exhibiting, as some may drop or go off by the way.

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At the time the guide was produced, the following were the Show varieties:

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The following were the Fancy varieties:

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Last updated February 02, 2005

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     Last updated: February 26, 2012.