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Post by scrumpy on Aug 11, 2011 12:35:23 GMT
I do not believe it Severn trent water have cut off my water supply. They are doing essential work!!!!! I now have no water to fill my buckets to transport blooms to show. Unbelievable.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 11, 2011 9:55:37 GMT
the rest of the smalls and mediums and finally the giants They look good until you get close up Never mind, i'm pleased with what we've cut and i'll be showing lots of new varieties. Just a question of what goes where. I'll start planning that this afternoon as i get them ready for transporting to the show tonight.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 11, 2011 8:39:35 GMT
Well after all the attempts of nature to make things as difficult as possible, these are half of what i've cut for tomorrow Been going since 6 o'clock, cup of tea now, then it's the giants to be cut and that'll be everything.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 19:39:58 GMT
Large onions tied ready for show light not so good, they aren't that yellow. Not as big as i was hoping for but not bad for uniformity. Middle back one is the one that's most wrong. and these are the under 8oz Hopefully everyone else will have suffered from onion root fly, allium leaf miner, thrips, badgers and pheasants and i may have a chance
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 18:42:08 GMT
They look fantastic from a distance It's been the worst run up to the show for a long time, which is annoying considering back in May we were told it was to be the hottest driest summer ever At the moment i'm avoiding looking at the plants, as each gust of wind is depressing me more and more. It'll be the same for all of us local growers, but at this rate i'll be showing half or less of what i've entered. Just waiting for the first person at the show to say i can grow them better than that and i'll.........
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 18:33:38 GMT
As long as the petals are on the bloom at judging time that's what counts.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 18:29:51 GMT
Now whether the lack of size is due to the cuttings received, and thus the plants planted out, i don't know. It has been absolute hell to grow, but there is something about it that tells me decent plants and proper restricting will produce really good blooms. Will never be the size of Brenda T but petal formation is much better. And they have withstood the rain and winds nicely....well, those that haven't been blown over have Another one to give at least one more season.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 12:11:36 GMT
And this is how it's progressing. I will have 3 ready on Saturday, so i'll arrange them in a vase and take them to Sion at the station house stand at Shrewsbury show and see what he thinks of them. They aren't that big, but they came from rather spindly cuttings. Form is good though.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 12:05:43 GMT
Well it turns out two out of our three aren't rebel so it will be interesting to see what yours are like There you go, will be ready tomorrow for the show. Have got 3 blooms, two almost the same size, so i think i'll put them in a vase with one white charlie two. It's quite a nice bloom, good shape and size and one i'll try again.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 11:59:31 GMT
A few more that you haven't seen Brabarry Melody....the photo doesn't do the colour justice, perfect shape but small for a small dec Barbarry Cosmos....much larger, strong reliable grower. Staleen Condessa...... Lovely medium semi cactus if you can get good stock. Taken me 5 years of reselecting to get a reliable set of plants, so if they come as good next year then i'll have cracked it. and my favourite giant, Fairway Spur. This one i've reselected over 10 years and the ones sold by Station House Dahlias came from my stock, and i believe some of the top exhibitors use them.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 10, 2011 11:42:48 GMT
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 9, 2011 19:23:05 GMT
As a guide for you, top of the front bloom to top of the vase is 13", middle ones are 17", back is 21". Allow an extra 3" for the stems to go into the oasis, so 24" is the longest stem from top to bottom. Your blooms are probably bigger than mine, so add a couple of inches to the above if you can. It may be easier for you to start off at the back with your longest bloom, and work your way down. As Tel says, first attempt is very good and an exhibit like that would walk it.....
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 8, 2011 20:37:43 GMT
well what a difference a day makes. We've had a bit of a battering today with winds and rain. What was looking reasonable is now looking very sad. Rain on it's own they'll survive, but the wind has taken it's toll . More forecast for Wednesday too. Never mind, at least i'll finish arranging earlier this year
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 7, 2011 21:49:22 GMT
Ryecroft Zoe and Ruskin Andrea are both producing cracking blooms with not a lot of effort. Andrea much more bushy, i've hardly disbudded and all blooms near maximum size. Zoe, a bit more manageable but again, letting it go and restricting to about 8-10 blooms. Both stood the weather well, so i'd certainly recommend them both for garden use and certainly for exhibiting.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 7, 2011 18:44:11 GMT
you mentioned susan gilliott. Here you go, Grown 7 up with not a lot of disbudding so i'll get a good 2nd flush.
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