Volunteers at the front lines of fair floral contests see it all.
They see blue-ribbon flowers and elegant designs.
They see plants past their prime and dirty pots.
They have to reject entries that don’t meet the rules.
A group of fair floral judges and registrars recently shared tips for success in a class for Penn State Master Gardeners of Lancaster County. Here are highlights from Sherry Watson, Gini Cormier, Chris Abel and their helpers, as well as several chairs of floral departments at local fairs.
READ: Your complete guide to Lancaster County’s 2025 fairs, including what’s new, things to do
Sherry Watson, master gardener with Penn State Extension, left, works with Nancy Burnett, of Mount Joy, during the “Make Ribbon-Winning Floral Arrangements for the Fair” class at the Farm and Home Center on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
BLAINE SHAHAN | Staff Photographer
Read the rules
• Lancaster County has seven fairs affiliated with the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs. At each fair, plants are Department 17 in the list of competitions. Otherwise, the rules and categories are different. Take a look at the exhibit book, sometimes called a premium book, to see this year’s rules. Most of this year’s fair books are online.
At West Lampeter Fair, for example, ageratum entries need to have three stems. “Not three flowers but three stems with flowers on them,” says Kim Mundorff, co-chair of the floral department. New Holland Farmers Fair breaks them into tall and small entries. Denver Fair requires five stems.
• The rules also show the size limits for plants and containers.
• Only one entry is allowed in each category, so pick your favorite.
Sedum entries at the 2024 Denver Fair.
ERIN NEGLEY | Staff
Harvesting
• In the specimen flower categories, only a few blooms are allowed for an entry. Sometimes, only one flower can be entered.
• For large flowers, like dahlias, pick a flower bud on the plant stem and wrap it in an organza mesh bag as it grows to prevent insect damage, Watson suggested.
• For most flowers, cut when they’re in the loose bud stage. They’ll continue to open and will be prime in time for the fair. This tip will not work for some flowers, like roses and dahlias. For spike flowers, such as gladiolas, look for stems that follow the rule of three: one third in full flower, one third starting to show color and one third still green.
• When harvesting, cut the stems a few inches longer than needed. When you’re putting together your entry, you can’t make the stems longer, but you can cut them shorter, Cormier says.
• Practice before the fair to know how the plant holds up, understand when to harvest and learn which plants won’t make the cut.
This miniature arrangement won a blue ribbon at the 2022 Ephrata Fair.
ERIN NEGLEY | Staff
Preservation
• Flowers aren’t immediately judged and need to stay fresh throughout the fair.
• Immediately after harvesting with clean and sharp tools, place flowers in a bucket of lukewarm water. Put them in a cool, dim spot to slow down blooming. If you put plants in a refrigerator, are there fruits or vegetables already there? Some (bananas, apples and tomatoes, for example) release ethylene that will speed up aging.
• If flowers are harvested a few days before the fair, recut them on an angle for more water absorption.
• For flowers with soft stems or sap (such as roses, hollyhocks and hydrangeas), sear to preserve. Dip stem tips in boiling water for 7-20 seconds.
• Add floral preservative to extend the vase life of plants rather than using pennies, aspirin or soda.
This floral arrangement was entered in the 2023 Denver Fair.
ERIN NEGLEY | Staff
Arranging
• For entries of more than one flower, the flowers should be as similar as possible, in color and size.
• Check rules for container size, including diameter and height, plus how long the plant needs to live in the container (sometimes at least two months).
• The judges have seen a range of ways to keep stems straight in a vase. Narrow-neck vases work. So do marbles, balls of chicken wire and stems wrapped in plastic or bubble wrap. An upcycled plastic spice jar lid with holes held stems tall at a past fair. Attach floral frog supports or pins to the bottom of a vase with tacky clay. Create a grid over a vase opening with floral tape and finish by wrapping the edge.
• For foliage arrangements, use at least three different kinds, with compatible textures and colors, which is appealing to the eye, says Delores Nolt, Ephrata Fair floral department chairwoman.
• Plants should be clean and undamaged. Use a dry child-sized paint brush to clean hard-to-reach spots hairy foliage.
This cactus won a best in show award at a past Manheim Farm Show.
ERIN NEGLEY | Staff
Transporting
Once you’ve made your arrangement, it needs to survive the trip to the fair.
• Place vases in a bucket, pad with newspaper and buckle into a seat.
• Fill a slotted soda crate with vases.
• No matter the box, make sure it has a sturdy bottom.
This dahlia won a best of show award at the 2022 Manheim Farm Show.
ERIN NEGLEY | Staff
Planting
• As you plan your 2026 garden, think about fair flowers. Once you know when you want to harvest, calculate planting time.
• A few weeks before the fair, deadhead spent flowers to encourage a new flush of flowers.
• In the weeks before the big event, add a 10-30-20 fertilizer. The high phosphorus level will encourage flowering.
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