It’s almost time!

George is hoping that  the worst of the  March weather is past and looking at the forecast for the next 10 days the winds are expected to be less damaging and the sun is expected to shine.  That will bring its own set of problems on this, the run up to the Spring Show.

George suggests that our problems, or rather challenges, now are to keep the fully open flowers fresh and undamaged in readiness for the show.  Fully opened blooms should be kept in the shade and out of the wind. Keep the pots well watered and, with Tulips especially, don’t leave them out in the sunshine.

Scamp Challenge pots

The Scamp Challenge pots are well into their flowering phase now. George had taken his pots into the living room for a couple of days earlier in the week  but has now returned them to the cold glasshouse to firm them up and slow their development.

L-R: Perdredda, Dalmeny, Bere Ferrer, Euryalas

The other pots of show Daffodils,  L-R  are ‘Perdredda’, ‘Dalmeny’, ‘Bere Ferrer’ and ‘Euryalas’. All are well supplied with flower buds and while the pot of Euryalas will be kept in the shade and shelter to keep the flowers back, the others may need a day inside the living room to get the flowers to open.

Euryalas

The two pots of Euryalas are well flowered and will be kept sheltered and cool over the next ten days or so in the hope that the flowers will stay fresh enough for the show bench. George has staked his pots of Euryalas to keep the foliage and flowers from being blown about too much. Remember when you are staking pots of daffs that you need to keep the top of the stakes about 75mm (3″) below the level of the flowerbuds so that when the wind blows the flowers will not be blown against the stakes and damaged.

L- R: Hyacinths – Kronos, & China Pink; Tulips – Ancilla & Greigs Happy

The pots of Hyacinths and Tulips L -R are ‘Kronos’, ‘China Pink’ , ‘Ancilla’ and ‘Greigs Happy’. George’s  pot of China Pink Hyacinth only has two bulbs in it and so the best one  will be cut and entered in the cut flower section while the pot of Kronos will be entered into the section for Pots of Hyacinths. The Tulips meanwhile are OK. The pot of Ancilla is flowering well and the task here is to keep it in the shade and shelter so that the flowers do not open too much. The pot of Greigs Happy Tulips however may need to be encouraged into flower.

So for the coming week keep your pots well watered, stake where necessary and watch out for damaging winds. The weather girl has suggested that this coming week will be sunnier and less windy. We will see!
Keep your pots well watered, in the sunshine if you need to get them into flower and in the shade if you need to slow them down.

More next week.
George