Don't Thin Dahlias To Excess.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 70, 23 March 1940, Page 7 (Supplement)

Don't Thin Dahlias To Excess.

AN all-important task where the. best dahlia blooms are required will be thinning and disbudding. This, like all other operations, can be carried to excess, but even where plants are grown for decorative purposes only it is an advantage to do a certain amount. There is no advantage to be gained bv producing huge flowers with all tliei'r good points such as size, depth and colour, neutralised by a loss of refinement and probably an imperfect centre. The thinning of side growth;; needed by different varieties varies considerably. In the Case of varieties that send up side shoots by scores the free thinning and selection of the strongest growths is necessary. Others make a strong leader and few side shoots and in this case it is an advantage to force tlie growth of the side shoots by removing the centre of the leader and then, by judicious use of the knife, fresh laterals can be produced in succession. With the exception of the removal of a weak or badly placed lateral, little else is needed with such varieties. Then some varieties will bury their blooms amongst the foliage; the flowers have ■ somewhat short flower stalks, and lat- . erals are produced quickly, so that by the time the flowers are open they are buried in a mass of laterals. ■ In this case the laterals directly below the flower should be removed, and those from joints lower down encouraged. It is impossible to lay down a mathematically correct system for regulating tliimiiiitr operations, but one rule may be kept to, and that is—Remove weakgrowths in the centre of the plants, and aim at keeping a well clothed plant with strong wood in all stages, + + + + CHOOSING MANURES LOW-LYING, moist and rich soils are likely only to be deficient in phosphates, while nitrates and potash will probably be lacking in lighter, higher situated and more exposed lands. Rapid foliage growth denotes the presence of abundant nitrogen, and very succulent leaves indicate a need for phosphates, and probably for lime. Niirogen may be applied freely on plants required fry their foliage, like cabbage, spinach, etc., but only early in the season, and sparingly on fruitbearing crops having a natural tendency to late maturity. On the other hand, when plants under normal conditions make only meagre growth, and achieve early maturity, sufficient phosphoric acid is present, but nitrates and possibly potash are wanting. The necessity for potash may be said to generally vary with the foliage development of "plants, such robust growing crops as cabbages and potatoes requiring huge quantities.