Tips for veg showing

[jojo2910]

Hi,

Our village show is the first weekend in Sept and its the first time we will be entering veg and flowers. Probably potatoes, runners, eggs, dahlias and whatever else looks alright in the garden.

Does anyone have any tips for things I can do between now and then or can do on the day?

Much appreciated.

Jo

[Aberdeenplotter]

Jo, if your spuds have been grown in the ground, they will be at a disadvantage to spuds grown in peat with fertiliser added. However having said that everyone may have grown in the ground. Lift your spuds and wash them as close to the show as possible. With your runners, rmember you need to try to have a uniform set so try selecting them now. wrap them in a damp towel in the fridge with a short baton to keepp them straight and they should be fine for the show. If you haven't got a full set , take what you have now and add others as they get to the appropriate size.

[VirginVegGrower]

Our village show is all about growing outsize stuff, dahlias and gladioli - not my bag! Not bothering with it again. We need proper village shows rather than pro grower shows.

[jojo2910]

Thanks, but things have been a bit hectic recently, so we only got to pick stuff yesterday, for the show today. There were some definite show pro's in the veg category. I saw a man with a baton and beans when were laying stuff out.

But we did win the following
- first with lemon curd
- first with jelly
- second with marmalade
- second with fruit cake
- third with victoria sponge
- third with most fragrant rose
- third with garden flowers
- third with gladioli

Plus a trophy for the most points in preserves. Not too bad.

[VirginVegGrower]

Thanks, but things have been a bit hectic recently, so we only got to pick stuff yesterday, for the show today. There were some definite show pro's in the veg category. I saw a man with a baton and beans when were laying stuff out.

But we did win the following
- first with lemon curd
- first with jelly
- second with marmalade
- second with fruit cake
- third with victoria sponge
- third with most fragrant rose
- third with garden flowers
- third with gladioli

Plus a trophy for the most points in preserves. Not too bad.

Very well done to you.

[jojo2910]

Ta very much. They've challenged me to two trophies next year...

[sewer rat]

Our village show is all about growing outsize stuff, dahlias and gladioli - not my bag! Not bothering with it again. We need proper village shows rather than pro grower shows.

I started a horti show in my town two years ago and this year (it's second) we attracted some of the grow for show ladies and gentlemen from a bit further afield. In my opinion, this is only to be encouraged as this attracts more people to come and view the show after judging, and I hope that the word will spread and we get even more of the show growers next year.
However, I do understand where you are coming from as some of the committee have raised ther concerns about the attendance of the show growers as they are worried it might put off the local people from entering.
There is however a way round this - have an open section and a confined section. See what classes the show growers are entering - up here that is usually dahlias, crysanths, begonias, fuschias, leeks, onions, shallots, peas, carrots, potatoes, top tray collections and top vase collections and that is the Open section. You can then have all your normal classes in the confined section which is only for locals (you will have to be careful with your definition of local).
I'm not saying that this will solve the problem overnight but we're going to do it next year.
As an aside, the show growers are generally speaking all very very helpful and knowledgable and in spite of people's perceptions that they all have their own way of doing things that involve lots of secret potions and witchcraft and that it is a closed society, they are more than happy to offer advice and pass on theirknowledge to anyone interested. I know - I have been offered young leeks for next year from prizewinning plants, tubers of prizewinning dahlias and begonias, and more help and advice than my tiny brain can cope with.
A final word of warning -showing can become seriously addictive !

[Aberdeenplotter]

Our village show is all about growing outsize stuff, dahlias and gladioli - not my bag! Not bothering with it again. We need proper village shows rather than pro grower shows.

I don't often comment if there is something I seriously disagree with but in this instance I will. The description of pro growers is highly misleading. No-one makes money from growing to show in fact quite the contrary. Growing to show is seriously detrimental to the money in one's wallet. A more accurate description would be expert growers and even they started off as novices. For them it is a hobby to which they devote a huge amount of resources and time in an attempt to produce the best that they can which they are then more than pleased to share with the rest of us at local shows in exchange for peanuts in prizemoney which often doesn't even cover the cost of transporting their entries to a show.

The public pay to see what they won't see in their own gardens and to have the opportunity to talk with the exhibitors -of which I am one - who are usually more than happy to give advice to others who may wish to start showing. The NVS champion leek grower last year gave me some of his prizewinning leeks to put down to seed even although that meant I could possibly grow an exhibit to match his. That is the attitude which we encourage. Quite often, good growers are simply not growing the varieties that are likely to win the prizes and again, this is something the expert growers will be happy to advise on.