Karen, "sprays" ideally will all be at about the same state of openness and freshness. If most of the blooms are open, having one or two buds won't hurt much, but you have to have more exhibition or open blooms than buds. You want to remove any blooms that are visibly dead or long past. You can always remove any individual petals that might be old. Yes, you want to disbud the large central bud early in the stem development, that will lessen any disbud scarring.

The ideal spray will have a circular shape when you look at it from the top, like a halo. It can also have a domed shape. The guidelines say "2 or more blooms". 3 or more is always best.

1) No brown stamens or judges think the spray looks spent. If the blooms are all 1a) "exhibition-style" or 1b) "decorative, open blooms with yellow stamens" and 2) a few buds and if there is 3) only one bloom with brown stamens, you will be marked down. So --- ensure no brown stamens, even at the expense of a disbudding scar.

2) Generally no side buds (except OGR's). If leaves on the spray are not great, still do not leave a side bud with good leaves. Your friends might appreciate the extra leaves on a side bud, bud judges do not!

When you get to the Show, ask a good exhibitor for help! Theu will be glad to help.

3) Also cut stems LONG.

4) Exprienced exhibitors -- Can shrubs be stem-on-stem? OGR's can be stem-on-stem. Floribundas (and HT's) cannot. What about shrubs?

Good luck! Kathy

Shrubs can be stem-on-stem. No stem-on-stem-on-stem though on anything.