October 2016 Newsletter

To see the full original newsletter with all the photos click here to get the pdf: October 2016 Newsletter

NEXT MEETING: October 11 at 7:30 at 9th and Lincoln.
Program: Mini Photo show. Bring your snaps or your blowups for prize$. Photos will be judged and award cash prizes in these categories;

DAHLIA PORTRAITS…1 or more dahlias
DAHLIA GARDENS
KIDS & CRITTERS…dahlias with kids, animals or insects
DAHLIA RELATED ACTIVITIES…shows, meetings, dig-outs, etc
SNAPSHOTS…any photo with a dahlia in it.  Photos can be any size, matted or not.

Who will bring yummy comestibles to share?

LAST GASP MINI SHOW

Wow. Five DCSers brought 81 blooms for Tinnee and Billy to deliberate over. The final came down to Deborah’s Eden Talos with the nod for Best in Show going to Pat’s lovely Bloomquist Daniella. Thank you to all who brought dahlias to amaze and educate us.

GENEROSITY OF FRIENDS

Not only did Cathy bring redolent tomatoes, Granny Smith and Fuji apples, she even brought bags for people to take them home in. Such thoughtfulness. John and Annette tempted us with oatmeal/chocolate cookies to match the chocolate doughnuts Gino gifted us. Thank you all for sharing your bounty with the rest of us.

FLORIBUNDA!! SAN FRANCISCO SETS UP

Lou, Tony, Maggie, Don, Debby and Gino erected over a hun- dred tables on Friday. Tin and Craig lugged in the huge white screens on which we hung our photo contest. By 8 PM growers began arriving with troughs of dahlias. Staying up ALL NIGHT with fabulous blooms earned Lou amateur sweepstakes. Louise from San Jose knotched her second Novice Sweeps and Kristine garnered Open Sweepstakes. Teenager Nick swept the young people’s section. Lawrence entered his allowed photos and then used his other twenty framed beau- ties to fill in our display. So very thoughtful.

In charge of kitchen and lunch for two days, Lola kept things cool, fresh, and available. Deborah shared the last of the Cole Hardware wine and water. Thanks to the many many volunteers sitting at our membership table who invited the public to vote in our People’s Choice and join DSC. These enthu- siastic sales people took in a dozen new members and renewed three others. The People overwhelm- ingly voted Kristine’s Ketchup and Mustard their favorite.

SEMINARS, BIRTHDAYS AND GOINGS ON

With a lovely cake and Best AA in Show, Pat celebrated her natal anniversary in fine style. Lou continued his tradition of holding a Sunday afternoon judges’ class using examples from the tables. Linda worked all day Saturday to computerize our results. Six judging teams worked through the afternoon to give us a spectacular Court of Honor.

Straight from the plane in from Missouri, Jere and Emily Gettle froze in our “summery” show weather. They vowed to go purchase SF tourist sweatshirts to survive. Nevertheless, Jere took some wonderful video of highlights of Floribunda 2016.

Did you miss our show? Check out this other site to gaze upon our beauties.

SAN FRANCISCO NEW AND COOL

Devorah’s Camano Sunshine, 2102, radiated as bright a yellow as Roy’s Manor Jayne, 2509, glared blackly. Both Devi’s Bloomquist Sun Rays 3110 and her Candy Corn 3115 showed her predilection for yellow/orange snazzy combos. Tinnee’s Treby Dainty 4014 caught many dainty eyes. Blaring magenta to the third power, Masurat’s GG’s Kalinda 3009 radiated purple. Lots of people added the Ko’s Dick Westfall 1210 and Paula’s Hart’s Bonnie to their wish lists.

Three Granny Normans and Tony’s Lakeview Pride really stood out. Kristine’s huge and gangly Hollyhill Shaggy Dog really lived up to its name. So did the Dietz specialty judging team. “Which color should Badger Twinkle be?” asked Tom B, “This pale one or this dark one?” Check out these three examples. The one with inbetween distinct coloration is the standard Badger Twinkle regalia.

DEMOLITION

Tear down, John and Don swiftly stacked tables; even the photographer, Lawrence, began dismanteling. Pat and Gina re-rolled tablecloths. Erik recycled still-sturdy dahlias at two hospitals; Chad cheered up many seeking succor at his emergency clinics with second chance dahlias. Billy loaded all 18 cases of Deborah’s vases into her Element, for which she is still grateful. Like a well-oiled dust-off crew, our ve- trans methodically disappeared our great show leaving only memories until next August. Thank you to all who participated.

PICNIC IN SIBERIA

Flying in from St. Louise just for our gala, Jimmy and his SF uncle, Soc, erected palanquins, tables and chairs at 7:30 a.m.  Jenn’s catering set up sterno tubs assuring everyone that although they cooked up most of the food, Erik personally whipped up the delicious meatballs. Once again Erik’s African tablecloths were surgically clamped into place. Shivering in typical Mark Twain “summer” weather, DCSers hobnobbed with Parks Commissioner Phil Ginsberg, playing Yahtzee and Scrabble. Dick led the Lamborghini crew with his silver speedster; John proudly displayed his red California ’63. The fire fighters let kids scramble all over their lovely engine. Bluegrass pickers from one valley over serenaded us. Two wedding parties entertained us. Young and old loved getting their faces painted; Gigi the Clown patiently daubed all comers all day.

As our daylight wanes, more dahlias bloom with popped centers. To shore up spindly stems, double disbud: instead of merely plucking the two sister buds to the terminal one, take out the two below your leaf pair as well. That way the energy from all 5-8 potential flowers will be channeled into your one glorious shining terminal bloom. Snip your deadheads back to NEW GROWTH every time. Take your watering system off the timer; make your dahlias BEG you for water. Watch them. Only when they start to sag, should you give them more water. This period will gradually get longer and longer between wettings until by late November or December you stop watering entirely.

Check your labels RIGHT NOW. Make sure every plant is accurately designated. Some people have been shocked to see that the indelible black sharpie name has disappeared. I write on my labels in PENCIL. Pencil defies water, rain, fertilizer, cocktail concoctions and sunlight. Pencil endures.

Last chance to snap some contenders for the ADS photo contest; deadline is Thanksgiving. Check the 11 categories for submission. Maybe you’ll be inspired. Start thinking about what role you’d like to play in the Dahlia Society of California. After 30 years of doing our newsletter, it’s time for a new voice with new views and new talents. I need to step down. Talk to board members about their mandates and decide if you’d like to step up to that responsibility. We can only sustain a vibrant society if vibrant people volunteer to don the mantles of leadership and stewardship. Please volunteer for SOMETHING. Talk to Tinnee, Devi, Frank, Joe or me.

Yours in Dirt,

Dahlia Society of California, Inc., San Francisco, CA — Copyrighted
Editor: Deborah Dietz
Asst. editor & Page layout: Mike Willmarth
Snail mail: Pat Hunter
Photo credits: Baker, Dietz, Fletcher, Gaensler, Hart