Green thumb There’s still time to grow a champion flower
The Queensland Agricultural Shows are the family event of the year and the Cairns District Show, held from July 1315, is a set calendar feature for most Far North Queenslanders. Every small town has their annual show and the agricultural displays are inspirational.
The show gives primary producers a venue to showcase and promote their products but it also gives all of us an opportunity to show off that potted plant or the flower, and the fowl or cow the owner knows is the best in the Far North.
Do you have a flower that will award you a first-prize certificate and your name in the paper as a champion grower? Did you know the Reserve Champion Cut Flower grower receives a sash?
Champion cut flowers can be grown in pots or in the ground; a large area is not needed to participate in this rewarding hobby. Check out the horticulture page and go to competitions on the cairnsshow.com.au website.
A wide variety of blooms can be entered; some may take a few years to develop a spectacular flower, but many annual flowers can be grown from seedling to bloom in six to eight weeks. See the list on the website.
Marigolds, cosmos and nasturtiums are a few flowering plants on the show list that can be grown in pots or in the garden, and with care can produce a champion bloom well in time for this year’s show.
Marigolds are one of the easiest plants to grow in the unsettled conditions that we can experience in a Far North Queensland autumn. There are many varieties of marigolds, and some of the new hybrids have stunning flowers.
The new Marigold Fireball has multi-coloured flowers on the one plant; big double blooms that open red, then turn to fiery bronze and dark gold as the flowers mature. This is a completely new look for marigolds. Marigold Fireball has a compact, mounded habit, the plant reaching 30cm in height and is best grown in full sun, in enriched compost with a pH of about 6.4.
Cosmos Sensation is a hardy old favourite which is fabulous for cut flowers. The tall plant has ferny foliage and the flowers come in a range of colours: reds, pinks and whites. Cosmos Sensation will grow to 150cm in a full sun position.
Plant seedlings in a slightly alkaline soil that has been enriched with organic matter; alternatively sow seeds directly into the garden bed and thin out to 15cm spacing. Cosmos grows quickly; tip prune the plants, above a leaf node, when they reach 30cm high. This will prevent the plant from flowering too early, promote branching and bigger blooms.
Nasturtium Jewel takes its name from the brightly coloured blooms that are produced over an extended period of eight months in coastal Far North Queensland.
Soak nasturtium seeds overnight in water to improve germination. Sow the seed into deep seed trays and keep the trays covered to prevent them being eaten by mice. Once the seeds sprout, they should receive a drench of seaweed fertiliser every seven days. Plant seedlings into the garden in a bed enriched with manure and compost.
Nasturtium Jewel is a trailing plant and given the opportunity will ramble over walls or the edge of a container. Side dress the plants with enriched compost every two weeks.
With all annuals in the growing stage, apply a fertiliser with an NPK 19-6-12. The N stands for nitrogen which encourages leaf growth. The P is for phosphorus which strengthens the stem of the plant and flower initiation. The K is for potassium which helps the root system of the plant to grow strong, healthy roots.
When the plants are four to six weeks old, apply a fertiliser with a pH of 7-22-8. This will encourage the plant into budding and increase bloom size and hardiness. Apply these fertilisers as either liquid or granule at the application rate listed on the container; look for the organic preparations or make your own from chook poo.
Of course, once the bug bites you will want to grow some of the longer maturing plants that can win you praise and glory at future shows, such as anthuriums, hibiscus, dahlias, bromeliads, gingers and lilies. Good luck and have fun checking out the blooms at the show this year.