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Exhibiting
Yearbook 1985 page 14 By: Linda Temple Back to the web versionIt has been a little over a year since I completed the O.H.A. Horticultural Judging Course. In the elapsed time, I have seen and judged a fair number of shows in and around the Ottawa area, and I must say that the exhibitors are to be congratulated on the extremely high standard of excellence of the entries. But, many of our top exhibitors are getting older and cannot be counted on to keep filling our classes indefinitely. We need younger people constantly coming in to keep the Society vital Remember our shows are essentially an educational tool. They are not only to show the public the newer varieties and the best of the old but to help us to be better growers. They are not competitions, but rather a learning through doing experience.
So, this article is aimed at the hesitant exhibitor who thinks that his garden's bounty is not quite good enough to compete with more experienced exhibitors or who is not quite sure of how to prepare his plants, flowers or vegetables for show.
My first suggestion is that every would-be exhibitor should have and READ a copy of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Publication No. 34, "Horticultural Judging Standards".They are available free from the Ontario Government Agricultural Representive or from the Society. This book sets out what is meritorious and what is a fault. It also sets out the scoring by which the judge weighs the various components.
The first step an exhibitor must take is to read Show Schedules carefully and understand what is being asked for in each class that he is interested in entering. If there are any questions or doubts call the Show Chairman for clarification, or see someone from the Show Committee when the exhibits are being tabled.
Remember to plan ahead so that you are not disbudding the night before the show. It should be done well in advance of the Show when the buds are small, so that the remaining flower will be larger and the scar will have had a chance to heal. Specimen flowers such as Roses, Dahlias and Peonies should all be shown without side buds.
One area which needs attention is the gathering, hardening off, conditioning and transportation of exhibits. Blooms should be cut when the sugar content is at the highest. This is in the late afternoon just before sundown. Wrap each bloom in tissue or newspaper so that it is not bruised or marked and label it before cutting. Carry a pail of hot water into which the stems are plunged. Make the cuts on a slant with a sharp knife to expose as much of the vascular tissue as possible without crushing the ducts. Cutting on a slant also prevents the stem resting on the bottom of the container and cutting off the water supply.
Special preparations are necessary for certain types of flowers. For example, bleeders should have the sap squeezed from the lower 2" of the stem and have the cuts seared for 30-45 seconds. This should be done again if the steam is re-cut. Woody stems should be slit, scraped or hammered for 2-3" at the base of the stem. Hollow stems should be cut under water, then removed and filled with water using an eye dropper before being sealed with a bit of clay.
Blooms should now be hardened off by placing them in warm water, in a cool dark place for 2-12 hours. Drafts, heat, sunlight and dry air are to be avoided, so if necessary, you may place a large plastic bag around the flowers. The idea is to provide warm water which is easily absorbed, while limiting the amount of water the flowers lose.
Transport specimen blooms in containers such as a plastic soft drink carton where each has its own bottle in it's own section. Do not let the blooms touch or they may be damaged, so wedge them in so that they cannot shift. Also take extra blooms with you just in case of mishaps.
Another area which seems to be overlooked is foliage and stems. If you will note, only six classes of flowers in the Publications No.34 give no scoring for foliage. They are Narcissus, iris, Lilies, Sweet Peas, Snapdragons and Gladiolus. All other classes are required to have sufficient foliage to balance and set off the flower or flowers of the class. All foliage below the waterline of the container must be removed or it will putrefy the water causing the vessels to clog and the flower to wilt. Ideally, foliage should be of good colour and free of insect and disease damage. It should have also been gently cleaned with a solution of 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water and a soft sponge or nylon to remove soil and spray residue.
Stems should also be clean and without evidence of damage. They should be strong and straight and in pleasing proportion to the size of the bloom they support. This translates into a stem of 15 to 18" above the container for a large size Peony bloom. In Dahlias, the stem is measured from the bloom to the first set of true leaves, and here again, it should be of pleasing proportion to set off the bloom. So, a large flowered Dahlia should have a stem length of 1 1/2 times the diameter of the flower. The part of the Dahlia below the set of true leaves is referred to as the stalk and it too must be long enough to set off the foliage. No judge likes to see leaves jammed down into the mouth of the container. I do not think that I have ever seen a stem that is too long. Remember when you cut your flowers for exhibit, you can always shorten them if necessary, but you can never lengthen them.
So, I would like to encourage everyone to take part in the shows that the Society stages. This article has barely touched the surface of some of the topics, but there are many books in our library and in the Public Library which deal in greater depth with each kind of flower and how to obtain exhibition blooms. Come out and take part! It's fun and educational!
Make a Mobile for Any Occasion By Joan Long
Instead of a table arrangement, why not make a "Mobile", floating in space, with decorations that catch the light and swing to a new dimension.
To make a mobile, you need a small block of Sahara, 2"x2 112". (5 cms.x7 cms.) for dried material, or a block of wet oasis the same size, encased in polyfilm for fresh material, plus five pieces of cane (available at craft shops) about 14, 18, 20, 22 and 28 inches long. (36, 46, 51, 56 and 71 cms.) The pieces of cane may be used in their natural colour, or may be painted to suite your decor or occasion.
Tie the block up as you would a parcel with green string or ribbon and suspend it from a small swivel as used by fishermen. Insert the canes half-way through the block at various places to make an evenly balanced arrangement. Then cover the block with greenery and add flowers using your own imagination, making holes in the Sahara or oasis with a cocktail stick so that the stem can slip in easily.
Suspend your decorations by invisible fishing line, or nylon thread from the ends of the canes. A small split at the end of each cane, and a drop of glue is a good way to secure them. Hang the decorations at different heights. Hang a few streamers of ribbon from the base, and add a bow on top. Keep it light-weight. If you are using eggs for an Easter decoration, blow them first.
To blow an egg, make a small hole with a darning needle at one end and a larger one with a skewer at the other. Be sure the yolk is broken and then blow through the egg into a cup. Wash the egg out with cold water, and leave to dry. Decorate the eggs as you wish.
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