Competitive gardening
- Thread starter rubydust
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That's something to be extra proud of Zigs. Judging from your pictures, Yours all look very appetising and normal sized. Do you ever make entries into the 'biggest' section? Surely those monstrous vegetables that you sometimes see can't be grown organically?
zigs
Cactus Grower, Kent.
Ta Ruby 
There wasn't a biggest section in the show and the judges didn't know what to make of my Beetroot
Not sure about the monster veg (There's a show for that at Shepton Mallet) But you can make most of the things plants need without resorting to chemicals.
Just making a liquid feed at the moment, all my weeds are going in a dustbin full of water for a few weeks
There wasn't a biggest section in the show and the judges didn't know what to make of my Beetroot
Not sure about the monster veg (There's a show for that at Shepton Mallet) But you can make most of the things plants need without resorting to chemicals.
Just making a liquid feed at the moment, all my weeds are going in a dustbin full of water for a few weeks
zigs
Cactus Grower, Kent.
It filled a gallon jar when I pickled it He was started off in a hotbed in January.
Oh, i'm not saying some folk don't use chemicals, just that with some good feed and seaweed for trace elements it's not really necessary. Why pay for chemical feeds when you can make your own from Nettles, Comfrey and weeds
Didn't enter last year but I might well this year, got some Kelsae onions that I sowed on Boxing day, biggest one is 4 and a quarter inches in diameter so far. Those I can't feed as it might make them bolt.
He was started off in a hotbed in January.Oh, i'm not saying some folk don't use chemicals, just that with some good feed and seaweed for trace elements it's not really necessary. Why pay for chemical feeds when you can make your own from Nettles, Comfrey and weeds
Didn't enter last year but I might well this year, got some Kelsae onions that I sowed on Boxing day, biggest one is 4 and a quarter inches in diameter so far. Those I can't feed as it might make them bolt.
I've only entered a competition once, and I have to admit I had a lot of help from my dear departed Dad, I somehow managed to get a first for my potatoes.
I have to say my Dad had a lot patience over them than me, measuring the entries to make sure they were all the same size, with the toms I entered making sure they were all at the same stage of ripeness, even down to making sure the raffia around the tops of the onions was the same colour, I could never pay attention to that much detail, bu then he got five firsts in the same show so it must work.
Our Allotment association has a tidiest plot competition, which I think is a tad unfair, it's always one of the retired folk who win, and you can see them out a couple of weeks before judging day sprucing up their plots, weeding like mad, we mortals who still have to work for a living don't stand a chance !
I have to say my Dad had a lot patience over them than me, measuring the entries to make sure they were all the same size, with the toms I entered making sure they were all at the same stage of ripeness, even down to making sure the raffia around the tops of the onions was the same colour, I could never pay attention to that much detail, bu then he got five firsts in the same show so it must work.
Our Allotment association has a tidiest plot competition, which I think is a tad unfair, it's always one of the retired folk who win, and you can see them out a couple of weeks before judging day sprucing up their plots, weeding like mad, we mortals who still have to work for a living don't stand a chance !
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It filled a gallon jar when I pickled it
Oh, i'm not saying some folk don't use chemicals, just that with some good feed and seaweed for trace elements it's not really necessary. Why pay for chemical feeds when you can make your own from Nettles, Comfrey and weeds
Didn't enter last year but I might well this year, got some Kelsae onions that I sowed on Boxing day, biggest one is 4 and a quarter inches in diameter so far. Those I can't feed as it might make them bolt.
Good luck if you decide to enter. Don't forget to post some pics!
I probably wouldn't have even thought about all those details if I was entering, which is why I wouldn't win! I guess having a bit of experience helps - you need to know what the judges are looking for and how they like them to be presented.
Your allotment association seem to have devised a very clever way of making sure everyone keeps the place neat and tidy!
Those look gorgeous and perfect, Zigs. You should have won. The tomatoes are picture perfect and the onions look delicious.I entered the Melplash show a few years back, first time i'd shown veg. Took a lot of preparation, everything has to be set out like they say or it gets disqualified.
Got 2 third prizes, a first for my Rhubarb and 3 place for "Top Tray" Which is a combination of specified veg
zigs
Cactus Grower, Kent.
Me carrots let me down
You need to grow carrots in tubes filled with fine peat or even better really fine soil, that's how it's done in the really big shows, myself I think it's cheating.
zigs
Cactus Grower, Kent.
Don't even like Carrots that much
I agree, I'd rather just show the best of what i've got, don't really stand a chance against a dedicated showman with a polytunnel
Just been looking around the plot, won't have a lot to show this year due to the late start.
I agree, I'd rather just show the best of what i've got, don't really stand a chance against a dedicated showman with a polytunnel
Just been looking around the plot, won't have a lot to show this year due to the late start.
Don't even like Carrots that much
I agree, I'd rather just show the best of what i've got, don't really stand a chance against a dedicated showman with a polytunnel
Just been looking around the plot, won't have a lot to show this year due to the late start.
I think that growing food for show is a bit ... wrong, I grow it to eat, and don't give a stuff what it looks like, taste should be more important than looks when it comes down to veg.
I grow to eat too Jack, but nothing wrong with having a bit of fun on the way
Drew up me list today, not much but i'll give it a go
Yeah I agree, but this growing carrots in pipes to get perfect specimens and the length of the root, when you go to measures like that it's just so wrong IMO.