Biomass Contest

 

Object :

To grow a plant from a designated seed in a container of designated volume that exhibits the highest quality.

Rules :

All plants are required to be in the contest room by 10 am.

Late arrivals will not be judged.

Contestants should return to pick up their plant no later than 12:15 pm.

Contestants must use the designated seed. A cutting may not be used. The seed for the Year 2008 is the Marigold .

Germination or presoaking must begin on or after January 3, 2008.

Any growing media including hydroponics is acceptable.

The container must have a volume of no greater than one liter.

Each plant must be submitted in its container.

Each plant must be submitted with a written journal summarizing all conditions in germination and growth, such as lighting, soil fertilizer, temperature, photo period, seed variety, company that packaged the seeds, etc.

Each contestant may submit only one plant.

Scoring :

Plants will be judged on the basis of their quality. Criteria will include plant size, foliage color and density, characteristic shape and balance, number and quality of blossoms or fruit and root mass (See attached rubric.)

Comments :

2 liter bottles cut in half make good pots.

Multiple seeds can be grown to start but only one plant will be judged.

References :

Sunset Western Garden Book

Lilly Miller Seeds, Chas. H. Lilly, Portland, OR 97283

Ed Hume Seeds, P.O. Box 1450, Kent, WA 98035-3450

Burpee, Attn. Order Dept. 300 Park Avenue, Warminster, PA 18991-0001;

Phone - 1-800-888-1447; www.burpee.com

Usborne's Science with Plants, ISBN 0-7460-09763

SIZE

small

1

2

3

4

5

large

SYMMETRY

irregular

1

2

3

4

5

symmetrical

BLOSSOMS OR FLOWER BUDS

few

1

2

3

4

5

many

FLOWERS

small, irregular, faded

1

2

3

4

5

large, regular, bright

FOLIAGE DENSITY

thin

1

2

3

4

5

bushy, highly branched

FOLIAGE COLOR

yellow

1

2

3

4

5

bright green

PEST DAMAGE

significant

1

2

3

4

5

no evidence

ROOTS

thin, not visible at edge

1

2

3

4

5

profuse, visible around perimeter of the pot

Many varieties of plant seeds are sold. Be sure to specify which variety was used in your journal and on your score sheet.

Note to judges: Use journal as tie breaker.

WSTA BIOMASS CONTEST

Name _______________________________________ Grade __________

School ______________________________________________________

Plant Variety _________________________________________________

Seed Company (or other source) __________________________________

JUDGING CRITERIA *

TOTAL SCORE __________

* Criteria will be measured against the ideal plant according to the variety standards . Judges may use journal as tie-breaker.

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