Dahlia Showing

Krista · 2023-08-07T06:01:24+00:00

I’m having trouble finding details online about some of the rules for showing dahlias. I’m hoping for information about the following: Vases/containers: bla...

MissyWeitzel

I'm ridiculously excited about this and maybe it will be helpful for those of you who show or just cut a lot of flowers and want to keep them from smooshing each other in the buckets. I have wanted a grid that fits inside my buckets for a long time now and couldn't really figure out something that would work without being hard to use or clean. I just discovered there is a product made for something else that will work great.
These are grit guards for car wash buckets. They're designed to fit at the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and separate any sand or debris from the soapy water so it doesn't cling to the mitt and scratch your car paint. They come in other sizes too. I found mine on Amazon. I just measured the diameter of the tops of the bucket size I most commonly use then looked for a grit guard that was slightly smaller. I bought 2 to try them out and they are perfect for small or medium size stems and larger stems will fit in the 5 finger holes in the grid design.
The best part is they are so easy to slip into the bucket and to pull back out and scrub with the same brush I use to clean my buckets. I have seen a lot of complicated ways people travel with blooms to shows and this is a lot easier I think!

Krista

MissyWeitzel This is revolutionary! And so resourceful, thank you for sharing here! Do you ever need to stabilize the cut-ends of the blooms in the bottom of your buckets to keep them from swishing around still? To move through the garden, I’ve been using a solid 1020 tray with coffee cans snugged in and a mesh 1020 turned upside down on top of them but I’m finding since the cut-end isn’t held in place they swish around and bloom-smoosh even so.

katyaker

MissyWeitzel
If those grit guards fit at the bottom, or towards the bottom, of the bucket, these would be the perfect thing to use at the top of a bucket. From Honeybee Gardens in Tillamook, OR -

Their website is down at the moment. I think they are opening soon and are probably doing site maintenance. These come in sizes for 2.5 gallon or 5 gallon buckets and with either one inch holes or two inch holes. And they come in several colors. I don't show dahlias but I am going to purchase both grit guards and these for transporting dahlias.

katyaker

MissyWeitzel
This is totally off the topic of dahlia showing, but these grit guards would be perfect for transporting razor clams home from the beach. Put a grid guard at the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, fill it part way with ocean water. add razor clams on top, put a tight fitting lid on top of bucket and drive home. By the time I get home from the beach (3.5 hour drive for me) the clams have worked all of the sand from inside their shells and they are much easier to clean.

SteveM

Teddahlia it can be used over and over as long as 10 years as long if you take the time to disinfect and store it.

The Montana Dahlia Society had their "vase and foam cleaning party" this past Saturday. They have sterilized and reused the foam for many years.

calico20hill

If you can get those grids in other sizes, a slighly smaller one might fit down maybe 1/3 up from the bottom and using two levels would stabalize the stems.

Krista

calico20hill
Juliarugula

Brilliant, thank you!

Juliarugula

I have a couple of these that I picked up at Walmart and they work great! The insert sits about 2-3” from the bottom and rests on a raised cross of plastic that helps keep the stems in place even better. I like the holes rather than the more open grid also because if I have a shorter stem I can let it rest on the surface of the insert to keep the bloom above the rim. It’s pretty awesome!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Auto-Drive-4-Gallon-Car-Plastic-Wash-Bucket-with-Grit-Screen-and-Carry-Handle-Blue/433038359?athbdg=L1200&from=/search

MissyWeitzel

Juliarugula oooh those look great too!

blown_dry

MissyWeitzel Thanks for making this effort! I am so glad you took this on. I hope a good solution can be found.

Bessie

A comment by @SteveM

When you get a seedling that you think might make a good show flower you should send it to a couple of trial gardens to see if it passes

Another comment by @Cosey

. I'd love to see what this one can do in the hands of an experienced show grower.

First question: any Dahlia "show" growers on this forum that might be interested in taking on a seedling with the idea to show it?
Second question: if you're a Dahlia judge, how many photos, and of what angles, would it take to get a preliminary judging. There's the "type" determination, but also the form and other considerations. Is preliminary judging via photos too big and uncertain a task?

MIDahlias

I love the giants. AA / A. What form AA / A dahlias have the best shape. It seems to me there is a higher likelihood of a globe shape with the Cactuses. KA Khaleesi is an informal dec and is winning awards. Which AA do you feel have the best show shape?

Teddahlia

AC Jeri is probably the best. AC Ben was the best. KA Khaleesi wins mostly because it has no direct competition in it's class.

drewtheflorist

Teddahlia KA's Khaleesi is big ..... that's about all

BarryO

katyaker
I’ve tried a similar bucket with grid cover to transport show blooms with mixed results. Sometimes the grids are too small to accommodate thick-stemmed AA/A varieties. And sometimes the grids do not coordinate well with the foliage on the stem.

NCDahlia

Found this as I want to do some of the shows again but never done giants. I watched it pretty fascinating the giants he grew. Especially on 25 tons of manure by hand that is dedication. Derek Hewlett - UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQLPlfozQFk

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