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Half Standards/Quarter Standards
The half standard is probably a more popular form grown by the amateur, being more manageable and rather quicker in reaching maturity than the full standard. Culture is the same as for the full standard and again a vigorous cultivar should be selected. With the same fast growing varieties as for the full standards, Phyllis, Joan Smith or Celia Smedley, a fair size of head can be achieved in one season. Attention to potting and feeding must be regularly attended to, to prevent any check in the growth. The trunk length is really the only difference from the full standard and the depth of head and the diameter should again be in proportion to the total height. When selecting cultivars for the half standard form, apart from vigour, the size of flower is a point to consider. It is advisable to use varieties with medium sized blooms as the very large flowered typed are often rather sparsely flowered. Half standards should have a stem length of not less 18 in and not more than 30 in if they are to be used on the show bench.
Quarter Standards
Without doubt the quarter or table standard is the most popular of all the standard forms and there are many enchanting cultivars that can grow and flower in one season. They are much more convenient for the small greenhouse owner and most novice growers test their skill growing these before attempting the larger forms described above. Cultivation is the same as for the larger types but the quarter standard matures more quickly. The vigour of the selected variety for this type of growth is perhaps not quite so essential but the stem needs to be run up in time to develop the head sufficiently for a reasonable flowering season. Quarter standards when well cultivated have neat, compact, dense head sections. This is achieved by using short jointed, small flowered cultivars that are stopped at two pairs of leaves throughout the building up process. The length of clear stem should be not less than 10 in and not more than 18 in from soil level to the first break. It may be found with quarter standards, that by leaving the pair of leaves immediately below the first pair of laterals on the main stem, that the plant will have a more finished appearance.