Joanne,

Try to get your hands on "Growing to Show' by Pauline Barthalomew (SP?). It has all you need for growing show plants.

Linda

The only thing that comes to mind would be that you probably want to remove the outer row or two of leaves before you repot - so you won't end up with a neck...
Ha, but here I am still working on keeping everything alive - it's all so much easier in theory :-p

Karin

Joanne
That is beautiful! I am glad you are showing and wish you all the best of luck!
It would be nice if you posted photos and kept us updated about your progress towards the Big Show Day as it is an interesting project

Thanks! I "borrowed back" my book. When I looked at the photo, Karin, I thought, "someone smart will tell me to remove leaves." Lucky, great encouragement!
There are some very sophisticated looking plastic wheels
to lay over a plant.
I have read that when people take a plant to a show, they do not return with it, for fear of pests

But a recent windstorm when I left the window open toppled over a bunch of plants, leaving a mess and ruining the symmetry of others . Joanne

This post was edited by fortyseven on Sun, Aug 3, 14 at 18:09

Maybe it's me, but is the plant a little bit "tight" like it is receiving just a bit too much light? If anyone else thinks so, you could move it a little.

It is well grown and that is not an easy variety.

(Please do not think I am "Miss Know It All." My one window plant's center was so tight that I removed center leaves, brought it to the kitchen, meaning to tear it totally apart, left it sit here, and now the center is opening up. Perhaps it was getting too much light even in a not especially bright window? What do I know?)

Diana

I still don't know what is too tight a center and what isn't....
they all seem to loosen up as they set buds though.

Since JPC is a large variety, I'm also not sure why you are keeping it in such a small pot. I know some growers go straight to the 4".

I usually go from solo cup size to 3" then on to 4".

The more I look at it, the more I think it is getting a bit too much light. Ease it off a little gradually and see how it responds. The petioles seem short (to me). It's also supposed to be dark green. As I said, it is not an easy plant so please don't feel bad. It looks healthy just maybe a little tight.

Karin, the center seemed kind of "crunchy tight" on this one. It is Fredette's Sweet Jenny. Maybe the closet is the right place.

Diana

This post was edited by quimoi on Wed, Jul 9, 14 at 13:30

Thanks, Diana, I thought so, too. Tight and too much bright light. Very much appreciate your advice. It was the only plant that caught thrips, so I thought it might be susceptible. They are gone now. I treated for thrips several months ago. I'll repot in 4" pot tonight. The show is in September. Joanne

Yes, I looked and thought you had some time yet. I'm glad you didn't think I was being picky :)

Indeed, grab that book too. I used to own it although I never showed except once at the county fair which most certainly doesn't count! (That was many, many years ago and I brought my two plants straight home and didn't catch cooties or anything. It was certainly a different time.)

Diana

This post was edited by quimoi on Wed, Jul 9, 14 at 15:16

Diana,
I appreciate your advice, you have so much experience. I did not feel you were being picky. That was why I wanted to ask someone.

My club is easy going. But when I have brought plants in to sell, someone immediately starts to groom them. The President and others are very experienced and go to National Convention. So, I don't want to embarrass myself.

I will try showing once, just for the experience. Maybe.

Joanne

This post was edited by fortyseven on Mon, Aug 4, 14 at 1:52

Updated photo. Transplanted from 2 1/2 to 4, moved to an indirect light from direct per Diana suggestion. It looks better. Had to remove one leaf that did not survive being handled . The leaves are showing that overly puffy effect in the quilted area. Which means the light is too low. It is also slightly off center in the new pot. Joanne

Bloom close up.

It's coming along. Try putting an index card over that leaf at 10 o'clock and see if removing it helps the symmetry. I may not be seeing everything, of course.

It's looking shiny and healthy. The leaves are supposed to be "quilted." Fancy Bloomers has about the best photo of the leaves I could find.

Diana

Hi Diana,
Thanks for looking! And pointing out that leaf at ten o'clock! I will try your suggestion. It is darker, shinier, more quilted and loosening up. Your observation that it was getting too much light was spot on. Thanks for the tip on the photo at Fancy Bloomers. It is excellent for the leaves. I got this plant from Lyon's. I have a photo of it. when it first arrived. It had that one leaf larger than the others, with the others smaller and spaced. Eventually, it all filled in on its own.

(I forgot that Karin suggested removing an outer row of leaves. My club experts would probably suggest the same, but I am too timid!) Joanne

This post was edited by fortyseven on Mon, Aug 4, 14 at 2:01

Karin may well have had a point there.

I know Nancy Robitaille has looked a photos of large plants and said if they removed a row of leaves they'd have a prize winner. I'm not a judge so I'm not going to tell you to do it if you're not comfortable with it.

If the outer row is smaller, give some thought to it though.

You're doing well with it though. As I said before, it is not an easy plant. Maybe it's me (never been crazy about fantasies and not that color of fantasy) but I'm beginning to think it's beauty is in the leaves and the plant. Startrick is much the same color (blooms) and it's giving me fits. My husband said it was scary when it got a flower.

Diana