25th. July
This hanging basket seedling is to be shown at the East Anglian Area show at Spalding. It was bred by the late Roy Mackey and it hoped that this lovely variety will be named after him. The picture does not do it justice as the picotee colouring is similar to Fairylights.
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The seedlings that I decided to grow in pots are now starting to flower.
Grown this way you get a much better idea of their potential in the first year.
The problem is watering which is a real chore with these to do as well as all the main pots

3rd. July
The seedlings in pots are now growing rapidly and need spacing on the bench. They are growing in Levingtons multipurpose because I could not get my preferred Westland.  Still the plants don't seem to mind.
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1st. June
The seedlings which were not potted in to 5" pots are now planted out in the open garden.  They are growing on the north side of the runner beans and so I give them the protection of the fleece for a few weeks until the beans provide midday shade.

The early cuttings are now in 5" pots and will soon be planted in the garden.
 I find that the resulting tubers are better this way as well as needing very little shade.

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The plants being grown for The East Anglian Show at Spalding are now in the shade house and growing away well in the cool and airy conditions. They are spaced out about a foot apart and are watered sparingly.
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The plants are now in their final pots and the staging is tiered to allow maximum space and air movement. I find that the plants need to be at least a foot apart at this stage to allow the room for them to grow without drawing up. They will still be sprayed every two weeks against mildew until the buds are taken.
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OTHER PAGES BY ALAN HARRIS
The Secretary's Diary

Cut-blooms
The Secretary's page on growing for exhibition.