12th February 2012

Went to the all day Northern Group meeting last Sunday It was okay. John Marshall was very good and awakened my urge to enter the George Wilson Trophy whilst Ken Dear was interesting. Les Waining did not say much but was controversial.
Trish and I went to Dover for the week and John looked on.
I have potted on 90 plants to 3 and 31/2 this weekend namely

9 Gigantic
4 Cherry Luxford
3 Avon Lea

the above using 3" plastic pots using Barry Cunliffes mix

1 Shirley Sunburst
12 Bryony Wade
2 Primrose West Brom Gentech
8 Cerise Pat Millar
8 Pat Millar
4 Olwyn
12 Florentine
8 Roy Coopland
3 Gentech
6 Bill Holden
5 Grace Holden

4 Liverpool Festival
3 Caldecot

Tomorrow Monday the soil arrives from Singletons so it should be a busy day

3rd February 2012

Another year has started. Just to reminisce. I didn't win a medal last year but I won an odd 1st prize.
At the National I came second of two to Angie Seymour in the George Wilson Trophy i.e. 5 vases and nowhere in the 6 separate blooms,but hope springs eternal. This year has been totally different from last year I started January 6th and apart from a few I have nearly finished.

I have taken the following.
Shirley Sunburst 3A 8
Bryony Wade 3B 20
Kay Woolman 3B 6
Stockton 3B 5
Primrose West Brom 4A 5
Cerise Pat Millar 4B 22
Pat Millar 4B 13
Woolman Venture 4B 21
Olwyn 4B 22
Florentine 5A 13
Primrose Charles Tandy 5A 22
Roy Coopland 5B 12
Clarksdale 5B 26
Nora Carr 6A 5
Bill Holden 4B 20
Grace Holden 5B 9
Cherry Luxford 2 4
Avon Lea 2 3.

Some are October but for ease I have put all as November. I have aquired 8 Gigantic from Mick Graves some Yellow Olwyn from Ken Dear and 3 Rebecca Read from Richard Coles. This is the some of my late cultivars for 2012 apart from Golden Lady 3B. I will write about Golden Lady later on. I will grow 6 of each variety apart from Primrose West Brom (4) Woolmans Venture (4) Grace Holden (4) Rebecca Read (2) Nora Carr (2) Cherry Luxford (2) Avon Lea (2). This means that I will The pot on 12 of each variety.

The Gigantic I am growing the Barry Cunliffe way but the rest are as follows 5 Sterilsed Loam 2 Peat and 1 4mm Grit. added to each Bushel (8 Gallons ) 4oz calcified seaweed 2oz vitax q4 2oz antagon.

All the rest of the cuttings are given away.

16th November 2011

The season's nearly gone and it was a disappointing one as well.
We had our Bar Top on Tuesday 25th October where we had 7 competitors and 19 entries. 28 people attended and enjoyed a good night .
Roger Moore did his usual good 2 quizzes. Len Whtehouse won the best vase with Bryony Wade and Alan Smith judges the flowers.I went on the Friday night to Southport to take my cup back from the previous year.I had no flowers but stayed the night but had a look around the show. Chester was the following day but had no flowers so I did not go.
Thursday 3rd November saw John and me travelling down M6 on our way to Stafford. We took 2 Japs 2 Incurves and 2 Intermediate for one Society class and 2 Incurved. We picked up 2 Anemones and 2 Singles from Keith Atkinson for another Society class. We came 2nd of 3 and 3 of 4 respectively.I came from 4 of 4 for the 6 individual blooms and 2 out of 2 in the George Wilson Trophy.
I judged Middleton with Ken Harrop on the Friday and the Saturday went with John to pick up the flowers from Stafford to take to the Scunthorpe show on the Sunday. I won 1 1st and 3 2nds.North West Counties were on the Tuesday 8th.I won the 3x3 Incurve Reflex Decs but there was only me in it. The Society won both the league classes.Nearly up to date.We had a good show but John was the recipient of most of the prizes. he won most of the Open prizes with Keith winning the Bronze medal.

19th October 2011

There are some photos this week - in the photo section. The first two or three are of Max Riley at a horticultural show near Launceston on 13th August and on Peter Daniels' standing ground just across the road from the show. The other pictures I took this morning in my two greenhouses.
I am starting to feed my Florentines for the first time, 1/2 strength Chempak every 7days.

I went to Scunthorpe last Thursday and judged with Chris Simpkinson. Plenty of flowers and plenty of people. It was a good night with a particularly nice vase of Charles Tandy.

The next event on the calendar is our ( Sowerby Bridge ) Bar top on Tuesday October 25th at Ripponden Conservative Club. Staging is between 7 and 8. We have a raffle, a couple of quizzes and pie and peas that cost a couple of quid. If you are in the area do join us.

Before the show I will be at the North West Counties meeting on Wednesday just putting the finishing touches to the show on Tuesday 8th November.

13th October 2011

Judged Dukinfield Bar Top last wednesday. Not many vases 7 to be precise.
Gave the best vase a vase of Southway Ski grown by Roy Longdon.
On the Thursday judged the Bar Top at Hull ( Humberside Chrysanthemum Club ) a lot more vases and a lot more growers. Another good night with the same result Best Vase Southway Ski grown by Dave Heath.

On Saturday Trish and I went to the dinner at Harrogate in aid of Terry Wombwell. The food was good if a little sparse and it seemed to miss the little touches. It was a good night with over 40 people there to celebrate with Terry and his wife.

Last night, Wednesday, we had our pre show meeting but the attendance was disappointing only 5 turned up. Let's hope that more than that turn up for Early/ Late show on October 25th at Ripponden Conservative Club where apart from the flowers the main attraction will be the Pie and Peas priced at £2.

Tonight John and I are going on our travels again this time to Scunthorpe for their Bar Top. I may be judging as I don't have any flowers.
As of this moment in time the only flowers that I have cut in a Trident that was damping badly however I have been picking damp petals out fo Roy Coopland. Everything else at the moment seems to be okay. The nearest to ready are Kay Woolman probably a week to ten days away. I am still hoping to enter the George Wilson at the National with Luxford, Bryony Wade, Patricia Millar,Roy Coopland and either First Light or Sheila Coles.
My first proper show will hopefully be Southport on October 29th.
I have been a little lax with my spraying towards to end and have paid for it with White Rust on my Trident. I must be more diligent next year...

8th August 2011

I know it's a long time since I did my diary but hopefully I will be able to do it once a week from now on.
Got all my earlies in the greenhouse, hopefully I may have a bloom or two for Sowerby Bridge Horticultural to challenge John in the 3 bloom class. My lates are looking very very good, just finished tying them all up as I am going to Cornwall for a week on Thursday.
John will be doing the necessary. Have spotted a few buds, primarily in Primrose Charles Tandy. The mediums that I got from Mick Graves are the best that I have grown and I have already taken the buds on Luxford, and will be taking the buds of Trident and Avon Lee in the next few days.
My Olwyn are the best plants that I have had for a long time, as them and Woolman Venture and Kay Woolman have tended to be nibbled by Capsid bug in the past.
I have continued my spraying programme of Sysphane, Amistar and Rose clear every two weeks and, as of this moment in time, I have seen no white rust.
All the plants have been top dressed and Florentine and Pat Miller are down to one stem on each of the two laterals.

11th April 2011

A couple of pictures showing the root system when they are ready for potting on. They have been in the 31/2 for 7 weeks. Make sure that they are well watered before they are knocked out . The 5 inch pots should have been soaked at least overnight to make them turgid. If you haven't got the materials to mix your own soil use John Innes no2. Each plant is caned and tied with a twist it.
I have also sprayed with Systhane this weekend as part of the programme to stop White Rust.
When they have been potted they will go into the cold frame.