September, 2005

NEXT MEETING;  13th September @ 8 pm @ 9^th & Lincoln. 
Program: OPEN TO ALL Mini Show.  AA, A, B, BB, M, BA, MB, P, ST, WL, AN, CO, O, S, PE, MS, NX, NO,  x3 & x5 of the same variety. Doors open as early as 7 pm giving you adequate set up time before 8 PM.  Please bring labels with your name & the flower’s name.  If your flower is not in the ADS Classification book, please have a senior judge classify it for you.  Who will bring treats?

WELL EARNED RETIREMENT:
After 10 years as Recording Secretary for our monthly meetings and for our Board Meetings, Thelma Cornish relinquished her swift pen.  Known not only for accuracy but also humor, Thelma will continue to contribute her insights and lovely flowers to DSC occasions.  Thank you, Thelma, for your years of dedicated service to DSC.  Barbara Jackson has graciously acceded to scribe as interim Secretary until our annual elections in December. 

MULTIPLES MADE EASIER:  
Lou Paradise demonstrated three ways to stage three blooms:  in a descending straight line, or one of two triangles with two up and one down or one up and two down.  Lou’s aesthetics favors the heavier flowers at the bottom.  Using mathematically irrefutable logic, Lou declared, “A five is just a three with two more.”  A bonus:  when you arrange seven blooms for a show,  leaves are optional!  Lou likes to deploy seven in a circle:  Tallest one at the top of the circle then two more in a straight line below it; two more on each side of the straight line defining a full circle.  Lou makes it seem so simple, but wrestle with it at home a few times to get the knack. 

SEEDS & STEMS:  
DJ brought in a second year “Bonsai” dahlia—a tradition in the making.  Raffle Man struck again.  For the meeting’s final flourish, DJ raffled off three vases of beautiful dahlias, three bags of Calcium nitrate, and a pin frogs.  How clever of Marilyn to color co-ordinate her snazzy outfit with her homemade toffee. The Dingwalls brought a basket of luscious lemons to share with  DSC members. Thanks to Baker Bill for delicious pineapple upside-down cake and to Joann for lemon cake from her own lemons. 

NOVICE ONLY MINI SHOW:
62 excellent entries in every category except MB & NO taxed judges Tinnee & Deborah’s acumen.  Soc brought in the best Ad Lib (A SC Var.) I’ve ever seen to nab a natty third prize.  The Dingwalls nailed best WL with a lovely Pam Howden.  DJ scored big & small with best AA, Kenora Clyde (AA SC  W) & best MS, Mathew Juul. His Starry ( ST PK) aced out the Stellars.   Not only did DJ’s Sean C accrue best CO but best x3 as well, narrowly eclipsing his x3 Buffys (CO BR/br). Barbara’s humongous Elsie Houston was crowned Best A, while her AA Penhill Watermelon & Hana Hitosuji had everyone buzzing.  Frank won big in the BB category with best BB, Jomanda (FD, O) & third Woton Blue Streak (C L).   

Lou Lombardo cleaned up with 7 firsts:  Jeanie (BB FD OR), Kathy’s Choice (M C Y), Poppet (P OR), Valley Porcupine (NX LB W/pk), Bishop of Llandoff (PE DR), Powder Puff Polka (AN Y), & best in Show Kenora Fireball (BA R) looking as though he dusted his previous Best in Show out of suspended animation.   Thank you all for bringing in your beautiful flowers, exposing us all to new varieties, & showing us the variations caused by different climates, soil, chemicals, & growing conditions.

TV DAHLIAS: 
Baker Bill led another group of DSC people (Rose, John B, Theresa, Joann, Diana, the Cornishesall the way from Napa, and the Wilmarths) to help man the phones at KQED’s pledge drive, all with bouquets of dahlias dazzling callers.  They raised over $50K.  

GROW ‘N SHOW:   Oscar and Judy personify yet another twist to teaming up for dahlia fun.  Oscar grows A’s,  such as Spartacus & Judy paints them.  Together they brought in the model bloom and her stunning water color.  Judy's work is represented in many galleries, local and out of state as well as being hung in many museums. 

THE 2005 SAN FRANCISCO DAHLIA SHOW --
A DAZZLING DISPLAY:
Thanks to the crew of faithful that showed up to set the stage on Friday night. And a special thank you to Louise Mueller who arranged for a magnificent lunch that was enjoyed by all. Just delicious!

Congratulations go to Joe Norton who took Novice Sweepstakes as well as Best Novice Bloom and Best BB (both Jomanda).  

DJ Ecklebarger staged a wonderful display of the various dahlia forms.  What a great learning aide for those unfamiliar with the extent of the dahlia's diversity.  This year we presented the most fabulous rosettes at our Court of Honor.  And thanks again to DJ for ordering these HUGE ribbons and preparing them for presentation. 

Roy Stier captured Open Sweeps as well as Largest Bloom (a looming Danum Meteor  AA SC R).

The team of Kevin Larkin and Karen Zydner of Corralitos Gardens decorated the head table with Best Large and Best B (both Edna C), Best Open and Best S (both 02 CA7), Best AA (Ailana Majesty), Best P (Willo Violet), Best CO (Teesbrooke Redeye), Best NX (Valley Porcupine) and Best Flower of the Year (Formby Alpine). 

Erik and Gerda Juul graced the Court of Honor with Best MB (Juul's Pearl), Best PE (Brenda Sue), Best O (Juul's Allstar), x3 and x5 Disc centered (both Matthew Juul), Best Basket (Barbary Gem), Best Pom Basket and Smallest Pom (both Mi Wong), and the ADS Seedling Achievement Award (Juul's Pearl). The real Ricky helping Erik getting the displays organized.

In the photo section, Franck Avril won Best in Show and Best Single Variety (Weston Spanish Dancer) and Best Flora & Fauna (Mikey P); If you would like to learn more about Franck's photography works, go to his web site.

CHECK OUT THE LIBRARY:  
For the first show of the year in the Bay Area, led by John Morton, San Leandro Dahlia Society amassed quite a few flowers.  Well contested, the Novice section represented with every type from the giants to the bitzies. It was a wonderful show with plenty of tables for staging and plenty of help.  

Barbara Jackson’s novice Best AA ID Penhill Dark Monarch and Best AA C Inland Dynasty were trumped by her Best A IC Belle of the Ball.

Lou Lombardo amalgamated a bunch of Bests including a great Pink Jupiter, Gitts Perfection, Camano Rascal, and CG Paragon culminating in Novice Sweepstakes. Lou also drove purists crazy by winning People’s Choice with a “blue” dahlia, just edging out DJ’s harlequin Blackberry Ripple.  

Hauling in two loads of stupendously glorious flowers, Roy Stier handily won Amateur Sweepstakes.  Roy’s monster Spartacus ballooned to Largest & Deborah’s wee Poppet graced Smallest. DJ’s stunning Tip Toe earned Best B FD; his Buffy won Best Novice x3.  Lou Paradise racked up Open Sweeps.    Bea Paradise floated to glory for Lou P.

Annual Picnic:  It was warmer in Anchorage, Alaska but it didn’t matter to two hundred and fifty people gathered in the Dahlia Dell for the picnic that Eric worked so hard to arrange.  They were the members of our Society and their friends and family enjoying the fun, fellowship and good food.   With the backdrop of dazzling dahlias, they delighted in visiting with each other and  visiting the groaning table laden with hams, turkeys, salads, sandwiches, desserts and special cakes, and you name it.

The kiddies and some adults had fun with the face painter and the balloon artist.  Mike had painted his favorite motorcycle, afraid to smile in case the motorcycle looked mangled.  Another lady had her face painted with a flower, of course, the dahlia.  The children also had the fire engine to explore and the mounted police poised to pose for pictures.

SCINTILLATING SEPTEMBER: ROGUE MONTH: By now most of your plants should have produced at least their first bloom.  Critically evaluate each bush.  If it is substandard and not worthy of passing on its tubers, chuck the whole plant in the garbage now.  (Do not compost—chuck!)  If you have two or more of the same cultivar, evaluate which is superior.  Make note on your lable Now so you will know which one to replant in the spring.  CHECK ALL LABLES WITH ADS CLASSIFICATION BOOK NOW.  When you have good blooms to compare to the ADS description is the best time to determine that you have the right name with the right plant. October might be too late for some varieties.   I like to transfer my labels down to around the base of the plant so that they will be attached even when I have whacked down the bush in December.

Keep up with all the dead heading, disbudding, and stripping off the “rags” (limp brown leaves at the bottom of bushes).   The more zealously you do these things, the longer your plants will continue to bloom.  Remember, dead head down to the crotch where NEW growth grows.  Do not let old petals drape and dissolve on leaves; they form a nurturing medium for bacteria.  If you are fighting powdery mildew, strip off the dusted leaves and spray with a MAJOR fungicide.  (My favorite is Monterey Fungi Fighter if you can find it on line.)  Remember, you can combine fungicide, insecticide, and superbloom all in one luscious concoction and spray all three at once.  If nothing else, FERTILIZE.  Tie plants to stakes at increasing heights to prevent toppling heartbreak; practice dahlia bondage, they appreciate it.  Throw a garden party to celebrate the unique beauty you’ve welcomed into your home. 

Dahlia Society of California, Inc., San Francisco, CA  -- Copyrighted
Chief Editor: Deborah Dietz
eNewsletter Editor: Ted Marr
Acknowledgement: DSC Conference story by Lou Lombardo, Picnic story by Rose Marr, photos from Deborah, Franck, DJ, and Ted.