Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Pompey Spud on August 29, 2008, 19:22

Title: What variety of Pumkin/Onion for next years veg show.
Post by: Pompey Spud on August 29, 2008, 19:22

Hi Folks

After seeing our societies Veg Show I'm going to enter a few things next year as ours isn't as serious as I thought it might be + some of my stuff wouldn't have looked out of place.

Looking at varieties for Pumkins. Is the Atlantic Giant or, Sumo the best?

Cheers to Vegmandan. Great site & thanks for the tips there + recent posts. Not sure on either Kelsey? or, Ailsa. Sorry about the spellings.

Mammouth Seeds any good?

Cheers
PUP!

Title: What variety of Pumkin/Onion for next years veg show.
Post by: Mash Mad on August 30, 2008, 09:31

Hi I'm not to sure about pumpkings. I had a go at growing atlantic giant this year and somthing went wrong with it, oh well there is always next year!
Kelsae is a good show onion make.

Title: What variety of Pumkin/Onion for next years veg show.
Post by: compostqueen on August 30, 2008, 10:53

We're having a veg show next year  :D   We all trooped off to one last weekend and were buoyed up by what we saw and feel confident we could do it (or it could be a case of fools rush in  :lol: )  The leeks were absolutely amazing  :shock:  The shows aren't just about giant veg though fortunately and there is something for everyone  :D

Title: What variety of Pumkin/Onion for next years veg show.
Post by: gobs on September 01, 2008, 09:03

I'm just bumping this for you, I don't think Vegman has seen it.

Don't know, Ailsa is the WR holder, I think.

Title: What variety of Pumkin/Onion for next years veg show.
Post by: vegmandan on September 01, 2008, 23:10

You're right.

Ailsae is the world record holder but not always the best shape.

I grew them for the 2nd time this year and had a nightmare !!

So I'd stick to Kelsae,fantastic shape which is more important than size at most shows and you can grow them to about 5lbs anyway if you're lucky.

My 86 year old neighbour bought some Kelsae seedlings from Mr Fothergills this year (Like I did last year) £6 for 40 and just planted them outside and he's got 40 onions of around 2-3 lbs of a cracking shape with no extra feeding etc.

He's going to beat me at our local show this year and I spent £30 bl##dy  quid on Ailsae and mine went all double necked and split.

So next year I'm going to grow Kelsae from seed or buy plants.

Mammoth are OK. but they are what's called a "Lancastrian Shaped" onion i.e they are more of a flatter shape and some judges prefer the more pear shaped type like "Kelsae"

I only know this as I only live about 20 miles from where the Mammoths are grown but having said that I once grew them and managed some decent sized ones.

So I'd stick to Kelsae or Mammoth unless you want to pay £35+ for a few plants or even about £10 for a packet of seeds  of Ailsae :shock:  :shock: