Giant Marrow

[Jaxom]

Wow Geordie. Perfect triplets
You must be a very proud dad.

[Lesley Jay]

Geordie very nice indeed. What variety are they?

[dni_dave]

Carrot competition follow up

[quote=dni_dave]Fellow Veggers

Full of enthusiasm resulting from my first year as a grower I challenged a couple of people to a carrot competition.



Well - the time is approaching as more people than I first thought have taken up my carrot competition. The trouble I now have is what rules I put in place.

Does anyone know what the judges mark the carrots on? Is it just pure length? Thickness at the top and length? Do you have to have the whole root or can the very thin bit at the end be broken off and not get marked down?

If anyone knows the answer I would be extremely grateful. I've even been in to town and bought a cup for the winner!!! Might end up entering them all in a local show to be completely fair.

[Lesley Jay]

Either have the entry as 2 carrots or 3 carrots. They must match each other, be straight, clean and free from any holes or nibbles. Trim the green top to 3 inches. You must not break the carrot off getting it out of the ground and include the long thin tap root. There are 2 varieties of carrot you have blunt ended ones and pointed end ones. Ideally they should be in seperate classes. Judging doesn't just go on the length of the carrot they need to match and be top class examples.

[dni_dave]

Carrots are tops

Lesley - thanks for that. I had no idea I would come under such pressure from an "off the cuff" challenge to a couple of friends.

I think the plan is to get together with neighbours and have a glass or two but the judging will take place when we are sober. I only hope I don't shoot my mouth off and go for more next year!!!

I've started to build the raised bed and fill it with sand as per Geordie's recommendation. I've bought the exhibition carrot seed off the internet and the OH is going to be in charge of watering while I'm away.

It's only the start of feb but I'm already getting nervous. All good fun though.

[sewer rat]

Competition???

Mentioned throughout this thread is the idea of a competition between us grapes. If we are going to get it off the ground, we need to decide what veg or veggies we will be entering and decide whether we can choose our varieties ourselves, or should we all grow the same variety ?
We need to bear in mind also that some people have allotments, some gardens and some pots, so whatever we decide on has to be able to be grown in pots or containers.
My own feelings are that we should all just grow what we want and have a "Grapevine Show" with various classes at the end of the season.
What do you all think ?
Rat

[Jaxom]

As this is my first season I will be very happy if I have vegetables to eat at the end.
I would love to see all the other Grapes with their Giant vegetables. Perhaps we could send photos to the magazine and they could have a page or two showing us Grapes with big smiles and even bigger vegetables.
Jax

[nick the grief]

in another kitchen garden mag, there was an article about a chap who grows all his veg in pots & tubs. Also, we've hard threads about growin spuds in bags (this is a show/grow method) so I think the following would be a start

Spuds 3 per entry 1 class coloured & 1 white.

You cold grow onions in flower buckets so there's another.

Short Carrots Or other than long I think they are called) you could grow these in tubs

I've never showed veg so I couldn't say how they would turn out but it would be a giggle.

ntg

[Lesley Jay]

Or we could do a collection of 5 vegetables. 1 vegetable per variety laid out on a tray or table. That way it wouldn't matter what each individual grew so long as they grow at least 5 different vegetable varieties.

Jaxom we don't need to grow giant vegetables just really good, clean examples of the variety.

[nick the grief]

hear hear LJ, a good little'un beats a bad big'un .... no jokes please, it's a family forum

[seasprout]

I've been struggling to find a uk supplier of giant marrow seeds, dont suppose any of you have seen one by now..?

[nick the grief]

Have you tried looking on this website

http://www.giantveg.co.uk/

It is a real one honest.

Or Medwyns sell seed

http://www.bazaarbuilder.com/cgi-bin...am&catparid=58

[seasprout]

Yes i've seen this site before, sadly its not been working properly for quite while and most links lead to dead ends.

The Americans appear to have the monolpoly on giant veg and competitions, loads of websites, societys and clubs etc... so far have not found a supplier prepared to sell to the uk.

But I have found several 'suspect' offers on E-Bay, from private sellers.

ho hum.. will keep looking.

[nick the grief]

I think I edited my post after you looked

[seasprout]

oohhh ta.

You type VERY fast. You must have bendy fingers.

Yes you beat me to it there.

Thats very interesting on medwins site...I looked there tonight but they are just about to update to 2007 it appears, so will have to keep checking if they will continue to stock it.

Thanks for your help.

(Dont know of a supplier for giant head sunflowers do you..? )