[Jay Dubya]

Hi, just a thought while i've been reading the topics, is anyone entering any local or club shows this year if so what do you specialise in or what will you be showing and have you had any success in the past. Or do you have any tips for growing that large onion or that long carrot / parsnip.

Keep on a troshing J W

[pol and mick]

I'm only a beginner myself really, but would love to gain the confidence to grow and enter a vegetable into a show/local competition. I think i read somewhere that you can crow long clean carrots in a mix of sand & compost in a barrel.
I'm sure though that i will soon pick up a few good techniques,after reading  more posts to your question.
Good growing.

[Howard]

I'm only a beginner myself really, but would love to gain the confidence to grow and enter a vegetable into a show/local competition. I think i read somewhere that you can crow long clean carrots in a mix of sand & compost in a barrel.
I'm sure though that i will soon pick up a few good techniques,after reading  more posts to your question.
Good growing.

I'm not letting the fact that this is only my third year of veg growing worry me and I've decided to have a stab at the Martley & District H. S. annual show in August.

There is a shed-load of useful stuff on the National Vegetable Society website, including five or six years worth of Medwyn Williams' articles, which can also be accessed from  his own website, which has a search facility. 

Howard

[pol and mick]

I'm only a beginner myself really, but would love to gain the confidence to grow and enter a vegetable into a show/local competition. I think i read somewhere that you can crow long clean carrots in a mix of sand & compost in a barrel.
I'm sure though that i will soon pick up a few good techniques,after reading  more posts to your question.
Good growing.

OPPS! just noticed a few typo mistakes in my last post. Sorry about that.
That site sounds interesting,


I'm not letting the fact that this is only my third year of veg growing worry me and I've decided to have a stab at the Martley & District H. S. annual show in August.

There is a shed-load of useful stuff on the National Vegetable Society website, including five or six years worth of Medwyn Williams' articles, which can also be accessed from  his own website, which has a search facility. 

Howard

[woodburner]

While I would like to enter a show, I am really growing for the kitchen, and the criteria are rather incompatible.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, Pol & Mick you make a good point regarding long carrots most showers use 40 gallon drums filled with sharp sand which they bore holes in and fill with thier own mix. The variety New red intermediate is a good one here.
My advice to Howard is, don't be affraid to ask other showers how they do it, there's no secrecy and they love to help new showers, once you've entered you learn so much. You make another good point when you mention Medwyns always use good show varieties some types have such an advantage over others in terms of colour or size.
Woodburner is perfectly right you cant mix, some people enter whats best on thier plot and thats fine, but if you want that special set you have to do different.
I have been showing for a while and have had a modicum of success (just in our local show ) but it is interesting and you're always looking for improvement.

Keep on a troshing J W

[Yorkie]

I've never shown, but one thing I do remember from magazine articles is always to check out the definition of the class - i.e. the schedule - if the show is a particularly keen one.  If it says 5 tomatoes you'll be disqualified for adding a 6th.  If it stipulates the onions must be a certain width, say, the same will apply.

[celjaci]

I,m thinking about entering something this year  - our local show is struggling to get entries. Trouble is it,s completely dominated by one or two professional exhibitors who put everyone else off.
The show committee seem to have recognised this and now have a few categories for allotment holders or 'as grown' which are much easier for us show amateurs to join in.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi all you would be showers, it's great that some of you are thinking of having a go, but do remember Yorkies point study the schedule because judges are strict on this, or you will get the dreaded NAS card. Following up on Celjaci's point, theres two ways to look at this you could learn alot from these guys improve your stuff and give them some competition, or sugest your commitee has a novice class. How ours works is, you are not allowed in this class if you have previously won a first in any class, this gives the new guys a chance. But most of all do have a go it's fun on show day, you can compare notes and even if you get a highly recomended on your first go you can be proud.

Keep on a show troshing J W

[Howard]

Hi, Pol & Mick you make a good point regarding long carrots most showers use 40 gallon drums filled with sharp sand which they bore holes in and fill with thier own mix. The variety New red intermediate is a good one here.
My advice to Howard is, don't be affraid to ask other showers how they do it, there's no secrecy and they love to help new showers, once you've entered you learn so much. You make another good point when you mention Medwyns always use good show varieties some types have such an advantage over others in terms of colour or size.
Woodburner is perfectly right you cant mix, some people enter whats best on thier plot and thats fine, but if you want that special set you have to do different.
I have been showing for a while and have had a modicum of success (just in our local show ) but it is interesting and you're always looking for improvement.

Keep on a troshing J W

Don't worry, I'll talk to anybody about it! 

Medwyn Williams has a DVD in his online shop which I found reasonably helpful, and there are a number of better ones on the National Vegetable Society website.

I have my 'plan' worked out in terms of growing mediums, fertilizers and liquid feeds etc - it's a mish-mash of bits and pieces I've picked up from all over the place. I don't doubt for one moment that it could be improved upon, but we have to start somewhere and I'm happy with where I'm at!

I've never shown, but one thing I do remember from magazine articles is always to check out the definition of the class - i.e. the schedule - if the show is a particularly keen one.  If it says 5 tomatoes you'll be disqualified for adding a 6th.  If it stipulates the onions must be a certain width, say, the same will apply.

Yes, I've read several articles that impress how important this is. I've bought a copy of the RHS Horticultural Show Handbook which must be the best reference book there is on the subject.


For the record, this is what I'm planning to show this year at the Martley & District H. S (Sat. 15 August):

Stump Carrot - Sweet Candle
Runner Bean - Stenner reselection from Enorma
Broad Bean - Reselected Gillette
French Bean - Reselected Prince
Runner Bean (Longest) - Jescot-Long Un
Tomato - Goldstar, Cedrico and Piccolo.

The only seeds I've planted already are my tomatoes (obviously), and the Goldstar and Cedrico are coming on nicely, but the Piccolo are a good week behind even though they were all sown at the same time.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, sounds like you've got a good handle on this, you make another good point for anyone thinking of showing ( which i forgot to mension ), the RHS showing handbook is a must. The varieties you've said look great, i've grown some of them ( you'll be impressed with the Stenner ) but why not try some large onions, they get addictive. Kelsae is the one here, sown on the 1st. Jan. under lights they can get really big a real show stopper!!
The toms look cracking, better than mine.

Keep on a troshing J W

[Howard]

Hi, sounds like you've got a good handle on this, you make another good point for anyone thinking of showing ( which i forgot to mension ), the RHS showing handbook is a must. The varieties you've said look great, i've grown some of them ( you'll be impressed with the Stenner ) but why not try some large onions, they get addictive. Kelsae is the one here, sown on the 1st. Jan. under lights they can get really big a real show stopper!!
The toms look cracking, better than mine.

Keep on a troshing J W

I did buy some Kelsae seeds funnily enough, but it was well into February by the time I'd got myself fully organised and I felt that it was, by then, a little late for them. They are a deffo. for next year though!

I am really pleased with the tomatoes. Those pics were taken on the 19th (the day I potted them on) and they're already much bigger and stronger.

I took some advice I read here and potted them on with sieved tomato growbag compost and added a little Nutrimate and they seem to be loving it! 

[nobby]

I entered the local show last year just fore a larf
ended up winning best novice 
have a go its greate fun 

[Jay Dubya]

Good for you Nobby, Now for the big boys eh!!