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GETTING YOUR BLOOMS TO THE HEAD TABLE
A
poorly grown plant will not produce a show winner. This article is
not
a "how to" on culture but a "how to" on getting your blooms
to the head
table.
You will need to disbud your show plants, leaving no more than three
or
four buds (terminal buds) per foot of plant height. Keep a mixture of buds
of
various levels of maturity. Complete this task by late September.
Under normal conditions, each variety has a specific time response to
gib.
Learn these response times for your particular environment and gib accordingly.
As buds begin to show color, pin encroaching limbs and leaves
away
from the bud with clothes pins to prevent petal damage. Watch the open-
ing
bud carefully; if the flower is a semi-double with upright petals or if
it
is a loose peony, check the opening flower for uniformity. You may use
small
pieces of Dacron batting to stuff between petals forcing them to fill
any
obvious gaps.
Show
blooms MUST be cut at peak condition and, when cut at the proper
time,
can be kept in cold storage for four to six days. Cut your blooms
with
about two inches of stem and place them on a Dacron-lined tray for trans-
port
to your prep area. Cut no more than four to six blooms at one time;
process
these and then go back for more. Have your entry cards completed
by
this time.
Show
blooms must be groomed to perfection. Primary grooming is done at
home
in your prep area and final touch-up grooming is reserved for the show
site.
All leaves (two at most) should be turned right-side up and wiped
clean
with a damp cloth. Some exhibitors like to use a small amount of leaf
shine
on the damp cloth. Examine the stamens, if any, and remove a stray
dark
anther that may be present. Do not attempt to remove more than one or
two
as this will disqualify the flower from contention. If the bloom has
been
cut at its peak, this will not be a problem.
Now
is the time to place a collar on those blooms whose outer petals
have
a tendency to curl downward. Size the collar properly so that it will
not
be a distraction to the judges. Use a small, soft artists brush to re-
move
any pollen grains from petal surfaces. Also inspect blooms for spiders,
ants,
etc --these are a definite no-no.
For
those blooms with upright petals, place small pieces of Dacron
between
petals to keep them upright. This is very important if you plan to
transport
the bloom any appreciable distance. This "stuffing" will be re-
moved
at the show site. Now place the bloom in its individual container
with tight-fitting lid and place the entry card on top of the container.
Prepare the containers in this manner:
1.
Plastic containers of varying sizes are needed. Use large ones
(five quart) for large blooms, small ones for your small blooms, etc.
2. Place a small cup receptacle (about 3/4" diameter
X 1" high) in
the
center of the container and surround it with a generous layer of Dacron.
Fill
the cup with your favorite "keeper" solution.
3.
If the flower is to be stored longer than a couple of days, you
may
wish to spray the bloom lightly with Clear Life (Design Master) or
Clear
Set (Flora Life) -- available from
your floral supply house. This
light
coating reduces moisture loss and the bloom remains turgid.
4.
Recut the two-inch stem to fit the cup, place the bloom stem in
the cup so that the bloom is level and is centered in the container.
5.
Cover the bloom with a very thin sheet of Dacron to pro tect it
from any lid condensation.
Blooms
are refrigerated in their containers at 39F -41 F and trans-
ported
to the show site in appropriately sized styrofoam boxes. A large
box
(16"H X 20"W X 48"L) will hold fifteen to twenty containers of
mixed
sizes
along with four one-quart "blue ice" containers to keep the blooms
cool.
The amount of blue ice needed will be dependent on ambient tempera-
tures. Allow
sufficient time at the show site to perform your final grooming
and to place your entries for competition. Select a display cup that is
complimentary
to bloom size- miniatures in a small cup, etc. Many shows
fail
to provide adequately sized cups for your small flowers, particularly
miniatures;
therefore, you may need to take your own cups for your small
and
miniature blooms.
A
bloom destined for the head table has to be near perfect in every
aspect.
With a lot of hard work and clo se attention to detail, you can
make
your bloom meet those strict standards.
- - Hyman R. Norsworthy
From Presentation to the Brookhaven Camellia Society on 11/12/02
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