Plant Preparation for the Show
By Rick Richtmyer, from Houston Bromeliad Society & BSI
Edited by Scott Sandel for use in San Diego
Ok, it’s almost show time. Please visit the website and download the show schedule and the show classes. Then check out the article on taxonomic (plant name) changes so that you can fill out your plant registration forms correctly. This month we will cover a few last minute details to make life a little bit simpler before the show. Here are some of the biggest problems we encounter when reviewing entry sheets: Is the plant named properly, is the plant a species or hybrid, is the name valid and registered, and is the name spelled correctly? In order to be eligible for a top award the plant must be valid as a species, registered as a hybrid or listed by formula. You may find the genus and /or species name has been changed as this happens more often than you may think. You can blame the taxonomists if you wish as it is their job to create order among the chaos.
The easy way to tackle this potential problem is to make a list of the plants that you are thinking might be show quality. Make this list ten days to two weeks ahead of the show and set aside the plants in a work area. Check for pictures of your plant to make sure your plant looks like recognized plant pictures. Be sure you have spelled the name of the genus and species correctly even if you ‘are positive’ your spelling is correct. I find mistakes all the time in plant names and spelling in our collection regardless of their source.
In the week before show time, determine if the plant is in the proper size pot, it is centered and is not leaning to one side. Now you can clean them up, pull out the weeds, check to be sure there is no scale, clean the outside of the pot or repot if the pot is in too bad a shape, clean the dirt and debris out of the leaf axils, cup and underside of the leaves, and lastly, top dress the finished product or make sure the mix is clean and trim the tips of bad leaves (wait as long as possible to do this). The basic clean-up tools we use are new sharp scissors (several sizes), long handled tweezers, a bowl of clean water and Q-tips. Clean the tops and bottoms of leaves with the damp Q-tips to remove the dust, debris and dirt. They really work well! Review your clean-up work the next day, and I bet you will find more work is required on a few of the plants, especially if you worked late into the evening in poor light conditions. If you have a copy of the “Handbook For Judges” or can borrow one, you can read what judges are trained to look for when judging a show. Believe me, a clean, presentable plant can make the difference between a blue ribbon or a red ribbon.
Editor’s Note: Go HERE to a PDF copy of “The Handbook for Judges”.
Now we are ready to enter our plants in the show. When you see the show room full of beautiful plants and exhibits, you will be very proud of yourself for being part of a show that we can have pride in. There are a great many sources for pictures and correct spelling of plant names. Some botanical names have changed, so take a look at what Dan Kinnard says about that and about botanical nomenclature HERE.
The easy way to tackle this potential problem is to make a list of the plants that you are thinking might be show quality. Make this list ten days to two weeks ahead of the show and set aside the plants in a work area. Check for pictures of your plant to make sure your plant looks like recognized plant pictures. Be sure you have spelled the name of the genus and species correctly even if you ‘are positive’ your spelling is correct. I find mistakes all the time in plant names and spelling in our collection regardless of their source.
In the week before show time, determine if the plant is in the proper size pot, it is centered and is not leaning to one side. Now you can clean them up, pull out the weeds, check to be sure there is no scale, clean the outside of the pot or repot if the pot is in too bad a shape, clean the dirt and debris out of the leaf axils, cup and underside of the leaves, and lastly, top dress the finished product or make sure the mix is clean and trim the tips of bad leaves (wait as long as possible to do this). The basic clean-up tools we use are new sharp scissors (several sizes), long handled tweezers, a bowl of clean water and Q-tips. Clean the tops and bottoms of leaves with the damp Q-tips to remove the dust, debris and dirt. They really work well! Review your clean-up work the next day, and I bet you will find more work is required on a few of the plants, especially if you worked late into the evening in poor light conditions. If you have a copy of the “Handbook For Judges” or can borrow one, you can read what judges are trained to look for when judging a show. Believe me, a clean, presentable plant can make the difference between a blue ribbon or a red ribbon.
Editor’s Note: Go HERE to a PDF copy of “The Handbook for Judges”.
Now we are ready to enter our plants in the show. When you see the show room full of beautiful plants and exhibits, you will be very proud of yourself for being part of a show that we can have pride in. There are a great many sources for pictures and correct spelling of plant names. Some botanical names have changed, so take a look at what Dan Kinnard says about that and about botanical nomenclature HERE.
