Proposed Hort Schedule

Proposed Hort Schedule

PROPOSED HORT SCHEDULE

2017-2018

September Meeting:

Coffee Can Competition: Flower arrangements are to be made with flowers from you garden in a one pound coffee can painted matte black, not to exceed 16 inches in any direction, viewed from three sides. This competition is judged 50% flower arranging and 50% horticultural excellence.

Not enough flowers in your garden? Feel free to combine your flowers with a friend (as a couple), or even more (as a family!).

Drop off at TokenekeClub is between 8:30-9:00 am. Your entry needs to be in place no later than 9:00 am.

Entry cards can be found on our website. Judging begins promptly at 9:15 am.

Cuttings for Future Competition--We will be handing out Mona Lisa Lavender cuttings for members to grow over the winter. A standard workshop will be held in late October, and again in the spring. They will be competed at the September meeting in 2018.

Field trip to Sam Bridges –Get a tour of the beautiful Greenhouses at Sam Bridges Nursery in Greenwich, and purchase plants that can be competed in the February par competition.

Date TBD

October meeting:

Dahlia Cut Stem Competition:Flowers must be from your own garden. We will NOT be using the ADS (American Dahlias Society) guidelines for classification. Instead, categories will be designated by size, and in some cases type.

See below:

Giant: over 10 inches in diameter Large, over 8-10 inches in diameter

Medium: over 6 to 8 inches in diameter

Small: over 4 to 6 inches in diameter

Miniature: up to 4 inches in diameter

Ball: over 3.5 inches in diameter

Miniature Ball: over 2 to 3.5 inches in diameter

Pompom: up to 2 inches in diameter

Mignon Single: up to 2 inches in diameter

Single: over 2 inches in diameter.

We will provide assistance during drop off to help you identify the correct classifications, but please come with your entry cards filled out with the name of the dahlia.

Beakers and wedging material will be provided. Multiple entries are allowed, but only one entry per cultivar. Entry cards can be found on our website. Drop off at the DCA after 8am, but no later than 8:30am, judging starts promptly at 9am.

Bulb Sale: We will be selling bulbs to support the Preview of Spring Competition in Greenwich March 1-3, 2018.

Please bring your checkbooks!

Late-October Workshop:

Training your Standard--Come learn how to train your Mona Lisa into a standard with our own Nancy Camman.

We will also have a ’20 Minute Workshop’ at this time where you can plant Ocimumbasilicum ‘Amethyst Improved Basil’ seeds.This will prepare you to compete them in The Preview of Spring’ Show, March 1-3, 2018.

Time and date TBD

November Meeting:

No Competition

November Workshops:

1. Amaryllis & Paperwhite Workshop---Bring your own containers, and we will show you how to plant them in a variety of mediums.

We will also talk about entering the Amaryllis for Preview of Spring. Early November.

2. “Outdoor Winter Planter” Workshop---Back by popular demand is the outdoor planter workshop. Come learn how to create a beautiful outdoor planter that will last all winter long. You will make one at the workshop, and take enough materials home for your second one. Advanced reservations and payment a must. November 28, Place TBD.

3. Bulb Planting Workshop for forcing Bulbs---Pat van der Brock will be conducting a workshop teaching us how to prepare pots and bulbs for planting for a forced competition.

This will prepare you to compete in a major flower show (Preview of Spring March 1-3 in Greenwich).

Time and place TBD

December Meeting:

No competition.

January Meeting:

No competition.

Plant Grooming Workshop---Carole Caulfield will be conducting a workshop explaining key elements of plant grooming, and give us insight into what the judges are looking for regarding horticultural perfection.

January 25, 9:30 AM Carole Caulfield’s House, 10 Wildcat Rd.

February:

Par Competition: One submission per entrant to be judged individually against perfection. A par class includes anything that grows-container plants, vegetables, terrariums, bulbs, parent & child, etc. The entry must be propagated or owned by the exhibitor for at least 3 months.

There will also be 2 new categories:

1. Mother/Child

2. Multi-generational

The entry must be in a clean pot with a compatible saucer. Entries must be in place no later than 9:00am.

“20 Minute Workshop”:In line with Zone II’s stated focus on water, we will be conducting a seed starting workshop focusing on plants that require little water, to help create a xeriscape.

9:00 am, before the meeting.

Instructions for the Forced Branch Competition in March will be posted to the website.

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Bulb Workshop: We will be getting our bulbs ready for the Preview of Spring Competition. We will be pulling the best bulbs and replanting them in preparation for competition.

‘Get ready to Enter’ Grooming Workshop: Bring those Gesneriads, Succulents, par, container gardens, mother/daughter entries, terrariums, ferns, begonias, etc to a grooming workshop. We’ll also have cards for you to fill out for your entries.

March Meeting:

Forced Branch Competition:
Give it a try, and bring an early spring blessing into your home!
It’s easy! Here are the forcing times from the 2014 edition of the Old Farmers Almanac:

  • · 4 weeks: Cherry, Crabapple, Lilac, Flowering Quince and Spirea
  • · 3 Weeks: Deutzia, Flowering Almond, Magnolia
  • · 2 weeks: Redbud
  • · 1 week: Forsythia

You may enter as many different types of branches as you wish, but each entry must consist of only one single branch, ie: one stem of Forsythia, one stem of Cherry, etc. Containers and wedging materials will be provided. You can find branch forcing tips and guidelines on the GCA website. Must be in place by 8:45am.

March 2- Field Trip- Walk through of Preview of Spring.

Meet at 9 AM to car pool to Christ Church in Greenwich, or meet us there at 10 AM.

April Meeting:

Cut Bulb Competition: Bring in your cut bulbs: Daffodils (we will only have 3 classes: minis doubles and regulars), Tulips, Hellebores, etc. Details to come. Must be in place by 8:30am.

‘Get Ready to Enter’ Grooming workshop: In prep for the Zone II New Canaan Club?

May Meeting:

Succulent Planter Competition- We will be competing the succulent planters’ that were made in September, in preparation for the Zone !! show in New Canaan in June.

Annual Plant Exchange: TBD

June Meeting:

Annual Rose Competition: Please bring stems from your garden. We are hoping that if your Rose is beautiful but the leaves are not, you will still enter it, however, two sets of leaves must also be present.

Members may only enter one specimen per class of Roses. The following are the classes:

  • · Class I
  • · Class II
  • · Class III
  • · Class IV
  • · Class V

Floribunda and Grandiflora Old Garden (1867 and earlier)

Shrub Roses (including David Austin) Climbers

Hybrid Teas

· Class V Hybrid Teas

  • · Class VI Miniatures
  • · Class VII Knock Outs

Bottles and wedging materials will be provided. Roses must be in place by 10am for judging.