TIPS for exhibiting rhododendron trusses and azalea sprays
(Reprinted from ARS Rhododendron and Azalea News: Spring 2008 Vol. 11 No. 1)
Alec McCarter was a dedicated friend of the American Rhododendron Society and developed plans for showing off members’ rhododendron trusses and sprays for the various garden shows. Any number of chapters use his guidelines. We are presenting them again. Why?
Because: It's show time!
Show off...gives satisfaction...
The success of the spring show depends on you and your exhibits. Your entry may be just what the judges are looking for to award a trophy or a ribbon. Even if your entry wins nothing there is a great deal of joy and satisfaction to be gained from having participated in this annual event.
A day or two before the show, go around and make a list of the blooms you will pick on Friday morning, the day before the show. Note whether they will be trusses or sprays. Then, tentatively, figure out which class they are in using the show list of class names, which will be added to the Show Rules as soon as possible.
Available at the hall on Friday will be a detailed list so you can ascertain the correct class number from the name of the plant. Try to use the list published with the Show Rules. If you do this at home rather than at the show, you will be able to look up correct spelling, correct classifications, etc. Consult your reference books if necessary, particularly Greer's book, the one with the red flower on the cover.
Container is important...
Also, organize whatever containers you will be using to transport your blooms to the show. They needn't be elaborate. Empty bottles or cans work well. Be careful to avoid crushing the blooms. Fill the containers with water almost to the top. Bottles in six-pack cartons are great for transporting blooms.
Straight stems are best...
Picking blooms always takes more time than you think it will! When choosing trusses, select ones that have straight stems with the bloom at the top. Don't choose ones with crooked stems that are growing at odd angles (e.g. pointing straight down). When choosing sprays, look for ones that will present themselves gracefully in a bottle. Pieces of cork can be used to stabilize the stem in the neck of the bottle.
Prune...ever so carefully...
Prune judiciously if need be to enhance the shape of a spray. Avoid choosing entries with bruises. Sometimes rain damage is inevitable, but avoid it if you can.
Look for freshness, good foliage...
Look for freshness. In a spray, it is better to have one or more unopened flower buds (for they frequently open after they have been picked) than to choose blooms that are already open and going over. Some judges like to see one or two unopened or partially opened buds, but a truss must not have flowers from more than one bud.
Choose blooms with good-looking foliage. Avoid ones with chewed or otherwise damaged leaves. Once again, some judicious snipping of damaged leaves can be done - but don't go too far because some foliage is needed (and you must NOT trim off the bitten parts of a weevil-chewed leaf!)
For a truss, one nice whorl is best - with flowers from one bud only. For sprays, more foliage will often be needed for balance, and of course, more than one flowering bud is allowed.
Do notice the restriction on height and width of a spray.
Place stems in water...
After cutting your truss, plunge the truss deeply into lukewarm water. Later you can make an oblique cut across the stem leaving the right length to make the exhibit look balanced...and do this under water. This will help the truss to take up water and keep it fresh all day. You may then store your exhibit in its water-filled bottle in the refrigerator.
Check and recheck your time schedule...
Be sure to check your show schedule very carefully. More than one exhibit has been set aside not to be judged because it has been entered "not according to schedule"!
Help will be available at the show! Please don't come late.
(Reprinted from ARS Rhododendron and Azalea News: Spring 2008 Vol. 11 No. 1)
Alec McCarter was a dedicated friend of the American Rhododendron Society and developed plans for showing off members’ rhododendron trusses and sprays for the various garden shows. Any number of chapters use his guidelines. We are presenting them again. Why?
Because: It's show time!
Show off...gives satisfaction...
The success of the spring show depends on you and your exhibits. Your entry may be just what the judges are looking for to award a trophy or a ribbon. Even if your entry wins nothing there is a great deal of joy and satisfaction to be gained from having participated in this annual event.
A day or two before the show, go around and make a list of the blooms you will pick on Friday morning, the day before the show. Note whether they will be trusses or sprays. Then, tentatively, figure out which class they are in using the show list of class names, which will be added to the Show Rules as soon as possible.
Available at the hall on Friday will be a detailed list so you can ascertain the correct class number from the name of the plant. Try to use the list published with the Show Rules. If you do this at home rather than at the show, you will be able to look up correct spelling, correct classifications, etc. Consult your reference books if necessary, particularly Greer's book, the one with the red flower on the cover.
Container is important...
Also, organize whatever containers you will be using to transport your blooms to the show. They needn't be elaborate. Empty bottles or cans work well. Be careful to avoid crushing the blooms. Fill the containers with water almost to the top. Bottles in six-pack cartons are great for transporting blooms.
Straight stems are best...
Picking blooms always takes more time than you think it will! When choosing trusses, select ones that have straight stems with the bloom at the top. Don't choose ones with crooked stems that are growing at odd angles (e.g. pointing straight down). When choosing sprays, look for ones that will present themselves gracefully in a bottle. Pieces of cork can be used to stabilize the stem in the neck of the bottle.
Prune...ever so carefully...
Prune judiciously if need be to enhance the shape of a spray. Avoid choosing entries with bruises. Sometimes rain damage is inevitable, but avoid it if you can.
Look for freshness, good foliage...
Look for freshness. In a spray, it is better to have one or more unopened flower buds (for they frequently open after they have been picked) than to choose blooms that are already open and going over. Some judges like to see one or two unopened or partially opened buds, but a truss must not have flowers from more than one bud.
Choose blooms with good-looking foliage. Avoid ones with chewed or otherwise damaged leaves. Once again, some judicious snipping of damaged leaves can be done - but don't go too far because some foliage is needed (and you must NOT trim off the bitten parts of a weevil-chewed leaf!)
For a truss, one nice whorl is best - with flowers from one bud only. For sprays, more foliage will often be needed for balance, and of course, more than one flowering bud is allowed.
Do notice the restriction on height and width of a spray.
Place stems in water...
After cutting your truss, plunge the truss deeply into lukewarm water. Later you can make an oblique cut across the stem leaving the right length to make the exhibit look balanced...and do this under water. This will help the truss to take up water and keep it fresh all day. You may then store your exhibit in its water-filled bottle in the refrigerator.
Check and recheck your time schedule...
Be sure to check your show schedule very carefully. More than one exhibit has been set aside not to be judged because it has been entered "not according to schedule"!
Help will be available at the show! Please don't come late.
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