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Post by Tel on Aug 4, 2011 18:41:55 GMT
Tel, why has my 'Karma Choc' only produced one flower? I can't see any more buds!  It's in a pot - it was grown from tubers, not cuttings. Is there anything I can do apart from kick it hard?   !. Did you take out the growing tips from each shoot, if not the plant will flower at the top of each lead shoot first, some shoot quicker than others, they should be further growth now from the leaf axils, that will flower later. 2. To have more blooms on the plant at once, it would have been better to have removed the growing tips when they first showed a flower bud. this would then have made the plant throw the side shoots that would produce more blooms. 3. If the growing tips have not been removed look down the plant is there any shoots showing from the leaf axils.? |
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Post by Tel on Aug 4, 2011 19:09:30 GMT
WF, do they supply the vases at your show? If not, i would suggest you do not use a clear glass one, ideally it should be 12in tall with a 4in neck, also you will need a block or a round piece of green oasis for staging your dahlias. I do not have a vase that size at home, but have found a straight vase that is a bit small 8in tall 3in neck. Staging 4 blooms has i have already said is unusual. I will take the vase down to the allotment tomorrow and cut 4 dahlias from the little bed i am using, and stage them down there, taking pics has i go along and then we will have a good idea what they will look like after staging.  |
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Post by Geranium on Aug 4, 2011 19:50:29 GMT
Tel, why has my 'Karma Choc' only produced one flower? I can't see any more buds! It's in a pot - it was grown from tubers, not cuttings. Is there anything I can do apart from kick it hard? !. Did you take out the growing tips from each shoot, if not the plant will flower at the top of each lead shoot first some shoots quicker than others, they should be further growth now from the leaf axils, that will flower later. 2. To have more blooms on the plant at once, it would have been better to have removed the growing tips when they first showed a flower bud. this would then have made the plant throw the side shoots that would produce more blooms. 3. If the growing tips have not been removed look down the plant is there any shoots showing from the leaf axils.? No - none showing. If you remember, I wanted this particular one in flower for my open days. I was naive enough not to know to remove growing tips, so I didn't.  Do I just wait and see if any appear now? I'll take a photo of the plant tomorrow - so you can see what state it's in. |
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 4, 2011 21:31:45 GMT
WF, do they supply the vases at your show? If not, i would suggest you do not use a clear glass one, ideally it should be 12in tall with a 4in neck, also you will need a block or a round piece of green oasis for staging your dahlias. I do not have a vase that size at home, but have found a straight vase that is a bit small 8in tall 3in neck. Staging 4 blooms has i have already said is unusual. I will take the vase down to the allotment tomorrow and cut 4 dahlias from the little bed i am using, and stage them down there, taking pics has i go along and then we will have a good idea what they will look like after staging. i have loads of full size bikini exbibition vases, i could send one down...... |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Aug 5, 2011 7:16:43 GMT
WF, do they supply the vases at your show? If not, i would suggest you do not use a clear glass one, ideally it should be 12in tall with a 4in neck, also you will need a block or a round piece of green oasis for staging your dahlias. I do not have a vase that size at home, but have found a straight vase that is a bit small 8in tall 3in neck. Staging 4 blooms has i have already said is unusual. I will take the vase down to the allotment tomorrow and cut 4 dahlias from the little bed i am using, and stage them down there, taking pics has i go along and then we will have a good idea what they will look like after staging. I don't have a proper vase, I shall keep an eye out for something suitable. I have seen them at the recycling center in the past but the chances of one turning up when I need it is slim. I did pick up a block of oasis a couple of weeks ago because I remembered you mentioning it. |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Aug 5, 2011 7:27:16 GMT
i have loads of full size bikini exbibition vases, i could send one down...... That is a very kind offer. Let me see if I can find something suitable locally. Last year the entries were in normal vases. |
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Post by Tel on Aug 5, 2011 17:26:59 GMT
Staging your bloomsI cut my oasis roughly the width of the vase.  I then cut the oasis at a angle, i find this makes it easier for fitting into the bikini vases.  Soak the oasis and fill the vase with water leaving room for the oasis, i cut and soak my oasis before going to the shows, this saves me time if i have a lot of vases to do.  This pic shows the oasis will be a good tight fit.  I then push the oasis into the vase with the heel of my hand.  Because there are 4 blooms to be staged in the vase, i am placing 2 at the back and 2 at the front of the other 2 You will have to excuse the condition and colour of the blooms and the bent stems these were cut from the bed planted up for seeds.  Measuring the blooms stem to make sure when it is placed in the oasis it does not go all the way through it.  I have held this front bloom against the vase, with the bloom just below the bloom at the back, then cutting the stem to the required length, before placing in the oasis.  Measuring the 4th bloom the bottom of the stem will need to be shortened a little so has not to go all the way through the oasis..  The stem is shortened a little now ready to be placed in the vase.  Staging completed all 4 blooms should be in view, Top up the vase with water, before placing on the show bench. 
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Post by scrumpy on Aug 5, 2011 18:01:27 GMT
nicely shown, another little tip for people, if after arranging you feel that one of the blooms should be a bit further over, or you go through the oasis, you can take a little of the stems you have cut off ...about 1or 2 inches.....manoeuvere your bloom to where you want it, then push the stem alongside it into the oasis. That will hold it in it's new place.
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Post by Cherry on Aug 5, 2011 18:35:49 GMT
So we are not looking at where the leaves face, as long as the blooms are in the right position.
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Post by Tel on Aug 5, 2011 18:44:23 GMT
So we are not looking at where the leaves face, as long as the blooms are in the right position. Leaves could come into it if the competition for first place were close. Undamaged and some leave shine could make the difference. I am not aware that the position of the leaves come into it, i may be wrong. ;D |
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Post by Lou78W on Aug 5, 2011 19:34:18 GMT
An excellent "Master Class" Tel..... ;D ;D
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Aug 5, 2011 20:01:03 GMT
That was brilliant Tel, thank you. I have a huge block of oasis so I shall be practicing.
The OH looked over my shoulder while I was going through them, he was mightily impressed when I said you took all the photos to explain staging to me. Don't worry, he's not the jealous type, he won't be on your doorstep with a sawn off shot gun ;D
One tiny question, why should the stems not go through the oasis completely?
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Post by Cherry on Aug 5, 2011 20:17:03 GMT
The stems are fairly thick. Are they slightly hollow, and if so, how do you cope with that when using oasis?
I also have another person in the house who was interested. I called husband in to see the piccies and he was impressed. It takes great quality on the gardening forum to impress him.
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Post by grindle on Aug 6, 2011 4:34:45 GMT
I've enjoyed reading this and I'm not doing any |
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Post by Tel on Aug 6, 2011 4:40:23 GMT
That was brilliant Tel, thank you. I have a huge block of oasis so I shall be practicing. The OH looked over my shoulder while I was going through them, he was mightily impressed when I said you took all the photos to explain staging to me. Don't worry, he's not the jealous type, he won't be on your doorstep with a sawn off shot gun ;D One tiny question, why should the stems not go through the oasis completely? Even if your hubby was the jealous type of person, i do not think he would be jealous over a bit of advice on dahlias, now i could understand him getting very cross and upset, if he would have to polish the dahlia cup because of me. ;D Stems that go through the oasis. i have found in the past when it has happened to me, because the blooms at the back of the vase are higher than the ones at the front, the leaves may be a couple of inches above the oasis, dahlia stems usually get narrower, and taking the vase from where it was staged to the show bench, the blooms can sway a little making the hole in the oasis slightly bigger thats when the stem can slip down putting the bloom out of line with the others.  |
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It's in a pot - it was grown from tubers, not cuttings. Is there anything I can do apart from kick it hard? 
Do I just wait and see if any appear now? I'll take a photo of the plant tomorrow - so you can see what state it's in. 
