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Post by Moonlight on Feb 4, 2013 20:52:47 GMT
Got backache, more fool me for carrying bags of pea shingle to the greenhouse. I just didn't want HH doing anymore than he has done already.
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 4, 2013 21:24:59 GMT
Might try that one next year. Girls have a potato each part of our local horticultrual show. I've scanned the instructions here for when I loose the paper copy.
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 4, 2013 23:15:19 GMT
Girls have 1 potato each and a bucket. I bought a few potatoes myself and I am going to be using potato grow bags. The eyes on their potatoes have already started growing. So I've put the potatoes in 1 bucket and put the other on top upside down (imagine cocktail shaker) to limit the light.
I know that it said on the information sheet (picture posted last time) before April to start them off but is the beginning of February too early? After all it is a competition, don't want them to spoil their fair chance.
The Novice (points towards Novice Cup) class x4 potatoes, isn't until Autumn show 8th September. So my timing is not important for me at the moment.
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Post by sweetpea on Feb 5, 2013 14:51:53 GMT
The old saying re spuds. Plant earlies late and lates early holds true.
potatoes can be early, maincrop or late with slight subdivisions such as early maincrop so plan accordingly.
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 5, 2013 22:16:04 GMT
Why does it have to snow the day after I put my sweet peas in the green house?
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Post by Geranium on Feb 6, 2013 7:46:06 GMT
They'll be fine. They're hardy.  |
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 6, 2013 7:57:06 GMT
 They'll be fine. They're hardy.
Luckily no snow when I got up this morning it had only been sleet.
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Post by sweetpea on Feb 6, 2013 11:59:55 GMT
They'll be fine. They're hardy. Another fine mess you've got me into Stanley ;D |
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 6, 2013 21:15:08 GMT
They'll be fine. They're hardy. Another fine mess you've got me into Stanley ;D  |
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Post by Geranium on Feb 6, 2013 21:42:42 GMT
Ignore him - they'll be fine, skinny or not! You could always place a piece of fleece over them to make it 100% sure. You can get it by the metre at your GC very cheaply.
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 6, 2013 23:02:51 GMT
On the train going home from work, most people are either checking their mobiles, reading the newspapers or their Kindles. While I sat there looking up the dahlia classes in my local horticultural show and trying to match them up with the varieties that I've got coming.
Downham Royal would go in the 3 miniature ball or 3 small ball (class 77)
Happy Halloween would go in the 3 miniature decorative (class 78)
Weston Pirate would go in 3 miniature cactus or 3 small cactus (Class 84)
Clearview Jenny would go in 3 medium cactus & or semi cactus (class 85)
It could also go in 1 medium cactus or semi cactus (class 87)
Clearview Arlene on the USA site said that it was a large but Dad said that he has seen it advertised as a medium and that it was a medium when he grew it. So that would be the same classes as Clearview Jenny
There is also a 3 of any type of Dahlia class.
Then there is the Britten Cup which is awarded to the winner of the highest number of points in the dahlia classes and the National Dahlia Society's silver medal for best exhibit which Dad won last year.
It's a jolly good thing that there is a dahlia class for Novices.
1 stem of Dahlia or Chrysanthemum (class 130) that's thee one that I want to get.
With Dad doing cactus/semi cactus medium/large/giant and there is another man whose passion for poms of perfection I wouldn't have a sniff of a chance.
I know that I am not a typical commuter but just mulling over dahlias made me happy, can't wait till March.
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Post by markb on Feb 7, 2013 7:18:45 GMT
On the train going home from work, most people are either checking their mobiles, reading the newspapers or their Kindles. While I sat there looking up the dahlia classes in my local horticultural show and trying to match them up with the varieties that I've got coming.
Downham Royal would go in the 3 miniature ball or 3 small ball (class 77)
Happy Halloween would go in the 3 miniature decorative (class 78)
Weston Pirate would go in 3 miniature cactus or 3 small cactus (Class 84)
Clearview Jenny would go in 3 medium cactus & or semi cactus (class 85)
It could also go in 1 medium cactus or semi cactus (class 87)
Clearview Arlene on the USA site said that it was a large but Dad said that he has seen it advertised as a medium and that it was a medium when he grew it. So that would be the same classes as Clearview Jenny
There is also a 3 of any type of Dahlia class.
Then there is the Britten Cup which is awarded to the winner of the highest number of points in the dahlia classes and the National Dahlia Society's silver medal for best exhibit which Dad won last year.
It's a jolly good thing that there is a dahlia class for Novices.
1 stem of Dahlia or Chrysanthemum (class 130) that's thee one that I want to get.
With Dad doing cactus/semi cactus medium/large/giant and there is another man whose passion for poms of perfection I wouldn't have a sniff of a chance.
I know that I am not a typical commuter but just mulling over dahlias made me happy, can't wait till March. Morning Moonlight. If you have a class for large semi cactus then you could grow Clearview Arlene with 3 or 4 flowering stems and see if it came to size. |
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 7, 2013 13:17:34 GMT
On the train going home from work, most people are either checking their mobiles, reading the newspapers or their Kindles. While I sat there looking up the dahlia classes in my local horticultural show and trying to match them up with the varieties that I've got coming.
Downham Royal would go in the 3 miniature ball or 3 small ball (class 77)
Happy Halloween would go in the 3 miniature decorative (class 78)
Weston Pirate would go in 3 miniature cactus or 3 small cactus (Class 84)
Clearview Jenny would go in 3 medium cactus & or semi cactus (class 85)
It could also go in 1 medium cactus or semi cactus (class 87)
Clearview Arlene on the USA site said that it was a large but Dad said that he has seen it advertised as a medium and that it was a medium when he grew it. So that would be the same classes as Clearview Jenny
There is also a 3 of any type of Dahlia class.
Then there is the Britten Cup which is awarded to the winner of the highest number of points in the dahlia classes and the National Dahlia Society's silver medal for best exhibit which Dad won last year.
It's a jolly good thing that there is a dahlia class for Novices.
1 stem of Dahlia or Chrysanthemum (class 130) that's thee one that I want to get.
With Dad doing cactus/semi cactus medium/large/giant and there is another man whose passion for poms of perfection I wouldn't have a sniff of a chance.
I know that I am not a typical commuter but just mulling over dahlias made me happy, can't wait till March. Morning Moonlight. If you have a class for large semi cactus then you could grow Clearview Arlene with 3 or 4 flowering stems and see if it came to size.
There is only a
1 cactus or semi cactus, large or giant (class 88).
All the multiple blooms are for the smaller varieties 5 each poms class, 3 for Miniature, small and medium classes. There are no single bloom pompoms class.
I wonder why.
More of a possibility of getting a vase if it is for a single perfect bloom than 3 perfect identically sized dahlias must be more difficult. When I looked at the National show utube clip I was in awe of the massive multiple giant exhibits.
Dates for the county shows are out now, now that truly is pie in the sky but I can go and see my Dad's. What I would like to do and what I am sure wouldn't be allowed to do is watch how he sets up. I've read in places dip the stems in boiling water 1st. I've never heard Dad talk about things like that. Feel sorry for the dahlias bad enough they get chopped down for their shows, my girls cried after seeing dahlias being dumped in a bin after a show. They are as bad as me (although I didn't cry I did feel sorry for them.) so we took Grandad's home.  |
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Post by markb on Feb 7, 2013 13:59:12 GMT
That sounds achievable, Moonlight. When I say grow 3 or 4 flowering stems I meant to get a greater size on those blooms, you would not have all the blooms out at once, so you could well get a single bloom for class 88. I would give it a go.
The dipping of stems in hot water is a new one on me - at least for dahlias - although I remember chrysanthemum exhibitors doing this to open the cells that transport water.
For dahlias I would have a bucket of water near the plants you are cutting from, cut the bloom with about 2 ft of stem and put the stem into the water straight away.
Once in the water use the point of a sharp knife or scissors to put a hole in the stem below the water line. This will release any air trapped in the hollow dahlia stem so it will take up water and not wilt.
I'm sure all the dahlia growers on the forum will help you closer to your shows. So if you have a question, just ask.
Hope this helps.
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 7, 2013 15:05:27 GMT
I am officially a bad Mother. I am jealous  of my daughter. Her daffodills are growing not mine and hers have not even been watered yet.
The only reason why they have not been watered is because she lovingly planted them with her sister 'helping' and then when I double checked the pot that she had used didn't have any drainage holes. 
I'd put them in the greenhouse and I can see green shot popping through the compost. Mine haven't. Seriously considering taking my very wet soggy ones in the greenhouse.
All the other bulbs she helped me with. My bulbs my little helper. These bulbs that we found that seemed to have a bit of life left in them, I gave her and told them they could be hers, all hers, her daffs, her responsibilty. That in theory they shouldn't grow but there was a chance that they would. I told her that even if none of mine grew and her three did, that was ok because that is how it was meant to be.
Looks like it was meant to be, if they are showing more signs of life. Would not have minded if she had watered them (but I told her not because of no drainage holes.)
Seriously considering putting my ones in the greenhouse.
Fairy Pink Wellies is going to be so excited when I show her and I am going to be excited for her to.
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