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Post by sweetpea on Aug 16, 2014 22:14:51 GMT
Ok folks, what do you use when staging your dahlias? I know some use oasis. When I was showing I always used newpaper in the vase usually topped off with a little moss. It seemed to work for me but I only used it with dahlias.
Used moss for daffodils and reeds or oasis for sweetpeas and some other flowers.
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Post by markb on Aug 17, 2014 7:26:46 GMT
I use oasis for multi-bloom vases and newspaper for single blooms.
Use oasis purely to save time. Pre-cut the blocks at home, pre-soak them also then just put in the vase and stage at the show. I know some fill the vases up with water as well but I don't do this as the oasis should hold all the water the bloom needs for one day.
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 17, 2014 8:11:56 GMT
I use oasis for multi-bloom vases and newspaper for single blooms. Use oasis purely to save time. Pre-cut the blocks at home, pre-soak them also then just put in the vase and stage at the show. I know some fill the vases up with water as well but I don't do this as the oasis should hold all the water the bloom needs for one day. |
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Post by ian on Aug 17, 2014 8:14:11 GMT
Morning Dahlia buds, In the main I use oasis I cut a block into three pre soak or do it at the show (a box cost me £10 so just over 16p per vase so not expensive). Oasis is much easier to stage blooms into and get the required result. You only need to put approx 50 -70mm of the stems in the oasis some people put the blooms too deep into the oasis it then becomes difficult to tweak adjust the blooms to the correct position if needed. It is also a good idea it put paper in the base of the vase before inserting the oasis just in case you accidentally push a bloom through the oasis. If I remember to take news paper then I sometimes stage single blooms with it, but more often then not I just use oasis. Don't forget to fill the vases up with water before placing on the bench. For Larger blooms it is advised to insert a sharp point of a knife just under the surface of the water once staged in the vase and twist the knife slightly this will allow trapped air to be released and water will then be taken up correctly. Occasionally blooms do not take up water and by using a sharp point to release the trapped air this helps. I stage my blooms at a height of 750mm (30") from the base of the vase to the top of the back blooms. I usually stage two on one for threes and three on two for fives as in a multi vase entry in my opinion the entry looks more impressive. You are not awarded any points for staging but a well staged exhibit takes your eye when all the blooms have the correct angles and face forwards. I also tend to make a list of everything I need to take to a show as not to forget anything. Good luck and good fortune Dahlia buds  |
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Post by sweetpea on Aug 17, 2014 12:45:26 GMT
Another little tip re staging. Some but not all shows have tiered staging for the multi vase exhibits. I used to collect the square liver containers from my local butchers and cover with black cloth. When placed on the bench it allowed you to raise a vase and for three vase exhibits I used to cover half a breeze block as well to give more height. (Not the heavy concrete ones but the light thermalite blocks you can saw to size) The liver pots also came in useful for holding wet oasis and for growing daffodil bulbs and other things. As ian says, you don't get points for staging but all other things being equal a well staged exhibit will win every time. Practise at home with any blooms not required as that will also help. |
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 17, 2014 13:41:46 GMT
Another little tip re staging. Some but not all shows have tiered staging for the multi vase exhibits. I used to collect the square liver containers from my local butchers and cover with black cloth. When placed on the bench it allowed you to raise a vase and for three vase exhibits I used to cover half a breeze block as well to give more height. (Not the heavy concrete ones but the light thermalite blocks you can saw to size)The liver pots also came in useful for holding wet oasis and for growing daffodil bulbs and other things. As ian says, you don't get points for staging but all other things being equal a well staged exhibit will win every time. Practise at home with any blooms not required as that will also help.  
I had planned on practising at home - which was why I was thrilled to bits to have a set of bikini vases for Christmas but I haven't which was the plan. I had hoped to watch the way other people do theirs but it was too tight on time. I chickened out of entering any of the vases of 3 classes which was short sighted of me because that is actually what I need to learn how to do. I did a mixture of pre-soaked oasis and newspaper, neither competently. Not expect to be fab just don't want to get in a mega flap before hand. I tried making holes in the centre of the oasis with the stick before pushing in the stems but that wasn't that successful and ended up using different combinations of newspaper and oasis. |
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Post by sweetpea on Aug 17, 2014 13:52:11 GMT
Another little tip re staging. Some but not all shows have tiered staging for the multi vase exhibits. I used to collect the square liver containers from my local butchers and cover with black cloth. When placed on the bench it allowed you to raise a vase and for three vase exhibits I used to cover half a breeze block as well to give more height. (Not the heavy concrete ones but the light thermalite blocks you can saw to size)The liver pots also came in useful for holding wet oasis and for growing daffodil bulbs and other things. As ian says, you don't get points for staging but all other things being equal a well staged exhibit will win every time. Practise at home with any blooms not required as that will also help.
I had planned on practising at home - which was why I was thrilled to bits to have a set of bikini vases for Christmas but I haven't which was the plan. I had hoped to watch the way other people do theirs but it was too tight on time. I chickened out of entering any of the vases of 3 classes which was short sighted of me because that is actually what I need to learn how to do. I did a mixture of pre-soaked oasis and newspaper, neither competently. Not expect to be fab just don't want to get in a mega flap before hand. I tried making holes in the centre of the oasis with the stick before pushing in the stems but that wasn't that successful and ended up using different combinations of newspaper and oasis. i don't know if they still do it but my butcher then got frozen New Zealand lamb livers in 7" square plastic containers which were then thrown out. They did come in really useful for all sorts of things. ps well done on your show. |
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Post by candyblue on Aug 17, 2014 16:54:38 GMT
I have started using the cylinder oasis , but for the largest vases you need a wedge to stop it from floating up. I have found this much quicker than the blocks and easier for soaking too.
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 17, 2014 19:00:26 GMT
I only use newspaper for the giants.
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Post by snute2008 on Aug 19, 2014 10:07:24 GMT
Out of interest Ian, whereabouts do you buy your Oasis at £10 a box, is it mail order? We are paying about £14 a box.
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Post by ian on Aug 19, 2014 12:37:18 GMT
From the wholesalers or via a friend from the wholesalf market.and it is Oasis not the cheaper stuff.
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Post by steve2t on Aug 19, 2014 18:09:26 GMT
Type in "oasis foam" on ebay. £11 a box with free delivery. Or find a local wholesaler and explain why you need it, I've just got a couple of boxes for £25.
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Post by sweetpea on Aug 23, 2014 14:31:42 GMT
WOW! that was some display scrumpy. My tea got cold  Some cracking varieties there about 8 or 9 of which I have grown and most of the rest never even heard of. must pay more attention. i noticed Eastwood Moonlight was featured in a few of the entries just showing what a great dahlia it is. |
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