Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => The Show Bench => Topic started by: Pompey Spud on August 10, 2010, 16:18

Title: Showing toms.
Post by: Pompey Spud on August 10, 2010, 16:18
Do you leave any stalks on on take it all off?
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: Ice on August 10, 2010, 16:26
The ones I saw on sunday had the calyx still attached, nothing else.
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: Pompey Spud on August 10, 2010, 16:27
Just found the answer to my question. Hehe

Leave the calyces on. Thats the green bit to you and me.
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: Pompey Spud on August 10, 2010, 16:28
He he...thanks Ice
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: wighty on August 10, 2010, 20:44
If you want some ideas for how to show veg may I make a suggestion, try www.thechaleshowhow.co.uk or  chaleshowentries@hotmail.co.uk.  It's the Island's biggest amateur garden competition (over 1,400 entries this year)  and I spent two hours in their tent looking at all the entries.
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: philskin on August 11, 2010, 09:28
is the address right wighty I cant find server message etc. comes up ty
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: joyfull on August 11, 2010, 09:46
wonder if this link will work  ???
http://thechaleshow.co.uk/The%20Chale%20Show%202010/SCHEDULEANDCLASSINFO10.pdf
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: joyfull on August 11, 2010, 09:48
That link gives the rules and the ones for fruit and veg can be found there on page 3  :)
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: Spana on August 12, 2010, 21:06
Each show will have its own rules which may differ from the link above so its as well to check your show schedule.

For tomatoes our show asks for 6 toms with a leaf on a white plate :)
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: Ice on August 12, 2010, 21:21
Yes, our local show had six toms with the calyx attached on white plates.  Anyone know the plural of calyx? :lol:
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: wighty on August 13, 2010, 20:42
calyxi?  Or even Calyxii (if I remember my Latin right, long time since I had to do that!) Thanks Joy for correcting my link, I copied it out of their programme for the Show, so presumed it was correct.  They had mainland Judges so presumed their rules were pretty standard for veg shows.
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: Mash Mad on August 18, 2010, 21:33
I heard the key to keeping the calyx stay green for longer is to feed them soot water,
it also, (along with a comfree and nettle feed)
gives them that pure deep red colour which looks stunning on the show bench.

A good way ive seen to present them, which ive nicked the idea :tongue2: is on a round plate or in my case, circular pice of cardboard coverd with black felt all neatly pulled tight around it.

Also you can cut small, not to small though, holes in the cardbord before putting the felt on. That way the toms will all stand up nicely and wont roll off onto the floor for sombody to step on, There's a example picture of mine at the bottom.


Id be gutted if that happend, after putting in all that hard work as well

The reason calyxes, except the one in the middle, are shrivelled because i had to pick the toms early when they were green to try and get them red for a show, but they did'nt ripe in
time :(        
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: philskin on August 24, 2010, 19:44
wont be entering my toms in Saturdays show just lost the lot with blight ,so im down 2 categories
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: joyfull on August 25, 2010, 09:00
Oh no how awful for you  :(
Title: Re: Showing toms.
Post by: philskin on August 25, 2010, 09:29
1st time its had my toms usually im so careful but its been such a funny year