Comments on Year 2018

Hi,

The year 2018 in daffodils has been very interesting.  We actually slowed down this year and had more time to enjoy the show and the social aspect of the show than in the past.  I usually would bring nearly 200 daffodils to each show.  This year the most I brought to one show as 71, usually less.

Lessons learned from this year’s showings:

  1. By taking fewer but better daffodils I was as successful as in the past years. I didn’t win the large total of blue ribbons, but the ribbons I won were the ADS ones.  However, the fact remains I love daffodils but I don’t have the energy to do large showings anymore.
    1. I bypassed daffodils in my garden that I would have normally picked for the show.
    2. I looked for each candidate to be of “Gold” ribbon quality.
  2. It was more relaxing and I didn’t have to manage the large numbers of daffodils that I usually had to push myself to get into the show.
    1. I made a list of all my daffodils, including miniatures that I was taking to the Show, before I left my house.
    2. I studied the show schedule for the show I was attending and made lists (from my Daffodils already collected) of all the collections that I was going to enter.
    3. Made up the name tags and entry cards before I left home. (You always have to have a couple of spare daffodils and make up a couple hasty tags at the show.)
  3. In all the collections this year, my seedlings were used. An all seedling Quinn (24 Stems) is the ultimate goal and a lot of fun.
  4. Taking pictures of the show winners and posting them on daffnet added to the pleasures of the show.

Harold K was right when he recommended everyone should hybridize to help improve their own showing. I had a lot of basic questions this year about hybridizing.  It’s not that hard.  Maybe we need another Daffodil Journal article on general hybridizing for beginners.  I know that I started out just trying to make seed and to get the seed to produce a plant.  From there you work into innovations and colors that you like. Getting the seed to germinate is not as easy as it sounds.  Altogether, it’s a lot of fun and you gain a lot of experiences.

 

Clay