Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => The Show Bench => Topic started by: cdonn on February 15, 2013, 16:02
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Last year I entered my Belle de Fontenay potatoes in my local veg show in the white potato category, and I got a prize ! However after the judging, the person who supplies the society with potatoes said that they were in the wrong class - they should have been in the coloured section. (they had a tiny bit of colouring where they had attached to the roots). To me it was hardly noticable.
Can anyone (possibly with a judges guide) clarify what category they are ?
Thanks
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Welcome to the site :D
It doesn't answer your specific question, but does this thread help at all?
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=102298.0
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You and the judge who awarded you a prize were quite correct, and I would say Belle De Fontenay is classed as a 'white' spud despite it's creamy, almost yellow appearance.
The supplier of the potatoes probably wasn't conversant with the rules of vegetable showing as laid down by the RHS and NVS.
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See potato council database. B de F has cream skin and yellow flesh
http://varieties.potato.org.uk/display_description.php?variety_name=Belle%20De%20Fontenay (http://varieties.potato.org.uk/display_description.php?variety_name=Belle%20De%20Fontenay)
According to the RHS handbook, varieties that are classified as coloured should be in the coloured class even if they show no colour. I know that does not help in this case but logically the opposite also applies.
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Thanks for that information - I'm growing them again this year as they were very successful (grown in buckets), and tasted excellent. When choosing my victims I'll be very careful about any colour round the eyes. Also, I'm sure I gained points for using a variety that was uncommon.
Out of interest - does the judges guide have a list of varieties in the different classes.
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I've double checked this with an eminent potato expert in the NVS and he agreed with me that BdF is classed as a 'white' for show purposes.
As a qualified NVS judge myself I can assure you a judge wouldn't award extra points for an unusual variety. Or at least he/she shouldn't! We judge on condition, shape, size, colour and uniformity.
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Thanks for that - its good to know that I was right all the time.
I must remember not to eat all the best ones when I dig them up.
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When you dig potatoes for a show there are always lots of rejects that you probably do not want to put into store.
Dig a hole and put the rejects into it. Cover them with soil and they will keep perfectly until you want them. Make sure you mark the spot with a stick - lesson learned from experience.
You can do the same with carrots - put them upright with tops just out.
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I'd probably go with a raised clamp made from coarse sand and straw rather than a hole in the ground filled with soil as you risk rotting and also slug damage.
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I'd probably go with a raised clamp made from coarse sand and straw rather than a hole in the ground filled with soil as you risk rotting and also slug damage.
Agree if storing long term. I was thinking of a week or two.