It's About Time
Perry Shelley
This article is being prepared more for those who have never exhibited a stalk of iris at a show than for those who have participated in many shows and who have handfuls of ribbons stuck back in their bureau drawers. These people already know more about selecting and preparing iris for showing than this author will ever know.
Several years ago at the time of our first attempt to enter an iris show, we were growing several iris whose names were unknown and a few named varieties. Being persuaded to enter the show that year, it was easy enough to find several nice stalks of the nameless ones from the large clumps but the named varieties being recently planted had few stalks and only one of these bloomed at the right time. Gathering these up we were presented to the entry officials only to discover that it was necessary to know the name of each iris we entered so we could only enter one stalk. Because we were giving the new iris (that cost money) special attention they had been mistakenly grossly fertilized and over-watered. This resulted in a magnificent stalk that took a blue ribbon, thus creating a continuing addiction to iris shows. (The overfed iris plant succumbed to rot shortly thereafter).
The easiest way to select iris for showing is to wait until just before time to enter, then walk around the yard and cut a few of the best looking stalks. I have used this method more than once and know that it will produce a few blue ribbons.
The percentage of blue ribbons can be increased however if one will start the selection procedure one or two days before time to enter. Stalks that look like they will come into good bloom in time for judging may be cut then allowed to finish maturing in the garage, on the porch or some other protected location. This procedure has allowed many blue ribbon winners to reach the showroom in excellent condition while equally good stalks were damaged beyond repair by the hail, rain or windstorms that sometimes strike us the day before the show opens.
The larger clumps will have a greater number of stalks in various stages of maturity to choose from thus increasing the possibility of picking a ribbon winner, whereas a newly planted iris may have only one or two stalks so there is little or no choice if one wishes to exhibit that variety.
When selecting the best stalk from a large clump there are a number of characteristics that should be considered as discussed below:
Main Stem or Stalk: The stem should be vertical. Two forms of vertical stems are seen; one in which the stem is as straight as a ramrod and the other in which the stem gently curves around each blossom as shown in this sketch. Either form is excellent when the stem has sufficient strength to hold its load of blossoms in a vertical position.
.A few iris varieties have a tendency toward weak stems that lean away from vertical position by large angles or even to curves sometimes allowing the bloom to touch the ground. Such varieties are usually discarded by growers who want to grow iris that produce show winners. Occasionally an iris that normally produces vertical stems will be planted in partial shade near a tree and lean away from the vertical. Leaning stems usually produce additional problems with branches.
Branches: Ideally the branches should be spaced far enough apart vertically and curve away from the main stem sufficiently so that the blossom at the end of each branch is held in the clear so that it can unfold without interference from the main stem or being jammed against the adjacent blossom. A great many iris varieties fail to meet this standard. When you get an iris that has three or more branches that meet this standard and has a bud count of ten or more, hang on to it and grow it in large clumps. You will find you always have something to take to the show.
When the main stem leans away from the vertical, the branches on the lower side have a tendency to curve up toward the light thus jamming their buds against the main stem while the branches on the upper side curve up and farther away from the main stem than normal. This gives the whole stalk a lopsided appearance that prevents it from winning.
Iris judges have a number of terms that they use to describe departures from the standard we described above such as "toe in" where the blossoms turn in and are jammed against the main stem; and "blotched effect" where the blossoms are all jammed against each other; and "top branching" where the branches emerge so close to the top of the main stem that there is not enough room for the blossoms to unfold without interference.
Blossoms: A stalk with only one open blossom can win a blue ribbon if it is satisfactory in all other respects. Although such a stalk cannot win against an equally good stalk with more open blossoms, it is almost certain to win one of the lesser awards unless there is a large number of entries of that variety. Since most of the shows in our area are variety shows, your entry will be competing only against others of the same variety which have the same inherent characteristics of branching, flower form, and color. This gives the older variety just as good a chance of winning a blue ribbon as that of the most gorgeous of the new introductions. A stalk with a wilted blossom almost never wins an award, so remove, very carefully, those blossoms that have been open so long that they will probably start to wilt before the judges see them.
Other Considerations: Many of our Sooner State Iris Society members are growing iris but have never exhibited any of them at our shows. These shows would become more interesting for everyone if more of our members could be persuaded to enter a few of their iris. Our show officials are eager to help new exhibitors with the small amount of work associated with entering an exhibit. Members who attend our shows can be assured that they will find it much more interesting, even exciting, if they have a few of their own iris stalks somewhere on the exhibition tables.
(Reprinted from Sooner State Iris News, April 1973)