Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => The Show Bench => Topic started by: dankay123 on January 27, 2013, 19:49

Title: south manchester shows 2013
Post by: dankay123 on January 27, 2013, 19:49

hi there i would like to show veg for the first time this year but i cant seem to find out any dates.do any of you know of any shows in the manchester area? the allotment im on has no one to help with advice as it is a new site so if you have any pointers for me that would be great. i plan to show long carrots (red intermediate) in barrels with sand method and kelsae onions which are under grow lamps at the moment. 

Title: Re: south manchester shows 2013
Post by: carrotfaggot on January 28, 2013, 10:12

I would advise you to join The National Vegetable Society where you will get all the advice you need, plus their website lists many shows up and down the country. There is bound to be several within a short distance of you so try an internet search as well. If you would like to enter a particular show then make yourself known to the organisers so that you are on their mailing list for a schedule.

Title: Re: south manchester shows 2013
Post by: dankay123 on January 28, 2013, 20:32

I have done the internet search for shows but none showing up. I thought some members on here might know of shows  from my area.

Title: Re: south manchester shows 2013
Post by: carrotfaggot on January 29, 2013, 08:37

Depending on how far you want to travel I found these which aren't too far away from you.

http://www.poyntonshow.co.uk/horticulture.html

http://www.suttonshow.co.uk/

http://www.nlwgardeners.co.uk/

There will be others but sadly I've often found they don't publicise themselves too well and then wonder why their show is dying!

Title: Re: south manchester shows 2013
Post by: dankay123 on January 29, 2013, 18:46

I  sent a message to allotment manager from council to see if he can advise me on locations. locations. Poynton show looks good to me being local to me.
I am just hoping some of my onions make it to decent size. And also my carrot project goes to plan. Intermediate seeds ordered, got the barrels all sorted and sand just need to buy my compost and fertiliser mix and a stroke of luck from above

Title: Re: south manchester shows 2013
Post by: dankay123 on January 29, 2013, 19:06

Thankyou by the way for helping me

Title: Re: south manchester shows 2013
Post by: carrotfaggot on January 30, 2013, 09:03

I've found the key with long carrots is not to feed too much. Sieved F2 compost mixed roughly 4:1 with silver sand and about 3oz of finely ground calcified seaweed per 10litres of mix if my preferred concoction these days. If you have huge foliage you've fed too much N and the roots will often be puny. Puny looking foliage often translates to large roots.