Get Your Amateur Horticulture Entry Ready Now and Avoid Last-minute Drama
Are you interested in showing your plants in flower show but unsure how to start? Do not let the first-time jitters keep you from joining the fun! If you break down the tasks involved in entering your specimens into the show into smaller steps, you will find your plant sitting on the show bench, hopefully sporting a ribbon sooner and easier than you think!
Why Enter?
Participating in the New England Flower Show provides opportunities for enjoyment, learning, networking, and skill development. Preparing and entering plants can enhance the overall quality of your collection through new experiences and knowledge gained. Best of luck to all who enter the show! Remember, a ribbon is not always the best reward you will receive!
STEP 1
Review the Exhibitor Schedule
The Flower Show Schedule details the rules, plant drop-off and pick-up times, and class descriptions based on plant type and size. Read all the rules that pertain to your potential entries and be sure to follow them precisely.
Eligibility: Anyone who is not a professional horticulturalist may enter plants—no garden club membership is needed. Plants must have been in your care since June 19th of this year, and you must be able to drop off and pick them up as scheduled. If you meet these requirements, you're ready to begin!
STEP 2
Select your Plants
Review your indoor and outdoor plants, then choose which sections—cut specimens, container plants, or fruits and vegetables—to enter. You may participate in multiple sections.
Cut Specimens
A bit of extra preparation helps your cut specimens look their best. Select the flowers and plant you would like to enter in the show 24–48 hours before the drop off date. Picking your top specimens plus a few backups, just in case.
When ready to cut, bring a deep bucket of lukewarm water, clean sharp pruners, and a knife. On hot days, cut stems early after dew dries; if it is cooler, cut at sundown when plants retain more moisture as their stomata will be closed.
Take as much stem as possible at first cut. You can trim it later to fit the display container. Cut at an angle so stems can absorb water and remove any leaves below the water line to prevent bacteria from forming. Place your plant material and a cool dark location. Be cautious about putting them into a refrigerator as it can be too cold and damage your plant material. Change the water every 24 hours until the drop off. Conditioning your plants in this way will greatly increase their appearance at the show.
Grooming your specimens is important. Prepare your show entry by brushing off soil or dust with a small paint or make-up brush. Clean leaves with a soft cloth. Do not apply oil or polish to the leaves. Trim away damaged leaves and any unnecessary plant material. Discreetly remove excess material with an X-Acto knife.
Container-grown plants
Begin assessing your container-grown plants several weeks prior to the drop-off date. Identify specimens within your collection that are rare, exhibit exemplary form, or demonstrate significant size and maturity. Carefully inspect each plant for signs of insect infestation, and ensure any necessary treatments are administered well in advance of the exhibition. Evaluate whether repotting is required, and avoid using damaged, unstable, or broken containers. If repotting is needed, complete this process as early as possible to allow the plant sufficient time to acclimate.
Should the existing pot be suitable but soiled with mineral deposits or dirt, clean its surface using a magic eraser and warm water. Remove any outdated top-dressing covering the soil, and ensure you have fresh material available. It is best to apply the new top dressing after the plant ha arrived at the show. Wash the foliage gently with a fine spray of water. Determine whether selective pruning would enhance the plant’s appearance; if so, perform this task early to allow adequate healing time. Complete all initial grooming procedures well before the event.
Consider placing you potential entries in a location where they can be observed regularly in the weeks leading up to the show. This practice allows for timely identification and correction of any flaws before presentation.
Fruits and Vegetables
When judging this category judges are looking for uniformity, quality, condition and trueness to the expectations of the variety you have grown. When preparing your produce for show, there are a few steps that will improve your display dramatically.
Do not pull or twist your product off the stem or vine as that might tear the stem from the fruit or vegetable. Instead, cut the vegetable cleanly from the plant with a sharp knife, leaving ample length of stem at the top of your entry.
Select only perfectly ripe, unblemished fruits and vegetables for display, harvesting them as close to the show as possible. Ensure uniformity when displaying multiple items and keep extra specimens as backups in case of last-minute issues.
All fruits and vegetables for display should be clean, but washing produce is not always recommended. Washed root crops like potatoes and carrots shrivel quickly, so dig them when the soil is dry and wipe off remaining dirt with a soft cloth. For tender-skinned vegetables such as summer squash and eggplant, gently brush off dirt with a soft paintbrush or makeup applicator instead of washing. Tough-skinned plants like pumpkins can be washed in lukewarm water and thoroughly dried. Rinse greens under cool water and dry carefully.
Carefully pack fruits and vegetables for transport. Consider using beer or wine cases with dividers. Protect your fruits and vegetable from bumps with crumpled paper, bubble wrap, or clean dry cloth.
STEP 3
Enter You Exhibits
Identification: You are responsible for accurately identifying all plants, fruits, and vegetables you enter in the show with the correct botanical and common names. Use seed packets or plant tags for reference if available. If not, take a photo with your phone and use the identification feature (tap the star logo and select "identify plant"). Verify the result against your entry. Accepted references for nomenclature are: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder and Royal Horticultural Society - Find a Plant.
Entry Card: Save time by picking up entry cards at the Gatehouse (during Garden entry hours), or fill them out when you drop off your exhibit.
Drop Off: Bring our exhibits to the Garden at Elm Bank on Thursday, September 18 from 4-7pm or Friday, September 19 from 6-9am
STEP 4
See the Show
Visit the Flower Show during the weekend, or at the Preview Party, to see all the exhibits and which awards were given by judges. Exhibitors get a free ticket to see the show!
Get Involved in the New England Fall Flower Show
