[bigben]

Thanks Bobbeh - just watched the start of it again - some of the stuff they managed is amazing but the effort they have to put in is pretty hard core!

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, i used the drain pipe method for carrots and pars. but it can be a bit hit and miss. Top showers use 40 gallon drums filled with sharp sand and with a bar they bore a number of holes fill them with your growing medium. Salmo's spot on with his list i found i had more success with New Red Intermediate for long carrots and Gladiator for pars. For things like beans and peas you must thin them out to say 2 beans per truss and no side shoots. Medywins of Angelsea is a good source of seed for showing.

[muckyboots]

Thanks to all ,good info.

muckyboots

[philsmith1967]

I grow all the usual veg on my allotmen and grow the shoe stuff at home for fun really.It also makes it easier to tend to them.
The tubes I use are simply leaning against my south facing fence with a strip of metal banding wrapped around them with each end of this band screwed to fence posts. they don't need to be buried far into the ground but it does help to give the ground a good cultivation just in case you get a monster that makes it past the bottom of your tubes.
Good luck.

[philsmith1967]

I agree with Jay about Medwyns of Anglesey. He breeds seed specifically for showing . The only downfall is the price 

[Chris C]

i have a couple of bits of pipe in the workshop so thanks for the tip.....another way of keeping the kids really interested i can see a " who can grow the longest" competition coming.