Growing for showing

[marmite]

Ok as I am new to this I have started a new thread. I have looked at Smithyveg blog and I am thinking eeemmmm why not. So questions 1- Am I to late to start.2-What type to plant now. 3-Compost home mix or shop. 4- Seeds where from special suplies or garden centre.5-On parsnips I read about sand do you mix with compost or just sand.6-Organic or not I dont mind.7 Where will I put my trophies,hall or living room. The first 6 questions are serious the last IS a joke in case you think I am flippent .Regards Marmite

[marmite]

I just been on the National Vegetable Socity web site and found some infomation. For carrots I need a 45 gallon drum. Sand for forming tube to make 4ft hole and fill with compost mix. But what seed no names or types listed. We have decided not to show this year but have a go and practice. But we will attend our local HS club near us. So any input would be appreciated thanks. Marmite

[wafflycat]

W Robinson and Son, specialist seed supplier, mail order vegetable seeds, mammoth vegetables

Gives details of various seed varieties suitable for growing long/huge veg for showing

[marmite]

Thankyou very much

[DavidT]

Parsnips - Gladiator. Carrots - St Valery. Runner Beans - Enorma. Onions - Kelsae.

[marmite]

Thanks DavidT

[smithyveg]

Marmite,

T'is probably a little late to start thinking about things such as parsnips and long carrots, (mine were done weeks ago) although you could sow a few short carrots if you can construct a 12-18" raised bed and fill it a sandy/composty mixture. Perhaps start planning an attack on the long carrot and parsnip classes towards the end of the year when you have more time. To do it right you may need a tonne or so of sand and some old oil drums.

For your first show I'd have a go at beetroot, sowing a row every week from about now until the first week in June. Red Ace is the best show variety although bog standard Boltardy will do.

Try a few cabbage plants (buy these from a local garden centre if you don't have any) pretty much any variety is fine but the most important thing is to keep them totally free from pest damage by erecting a barrier around and over them. I use the green netting you get off building sites.

Things you can sow now or in the next month......runner beans (Enorma/Liberty), marrow (Table Dainty/Badger Cross), courgette (Ambassador/Ophelia/One Ball), Cucumber (any F1 female only variety), lettuce (Sunny/Webb's Wonderful).

Do you have any tomatoes on the go? If not buy some plants (as many as you have room for....6 minimum) from a garden centre soon. Grow them on in large pots (in a greenhouse preferably) or in growbags or ideally a border in your greenhouse if you have it. Moneymaker or Shirley are fine varieties for local show.

If you have any onions already growing away well then keep them well watered and look to harvest them a month before your show so that they have time to ripen. Ask me nearer the time and I'll tell you what to do.

Any reasonable grade compost will do although most top growers use Levington M3. Once you get into it a bit in a couple of years you may want to pay for more expensive re-selected seeds from Medwyns or Shelley's catalogues, but most of the varieties I mention above can be found in T&M or similar.

Don't limit your potential entries to veg.....do you grow any flowers? Most shows will have a class for a 'vase of garden flowers'. What about pot plants? Or a fuchsia? Keep nipping out the growing tips until 90 days before the show then pinch off all the flowers until 45 days before the show. Come show day you should have a beautifully shaped plant full of bloom. Just pick off any decayed leaves and flowers, give the pot a wipe clean and plonk it on the show bench.

A lot of shows will have a class for 'those who have not won a red card at any previous show' which is a good one to start with. Or else try the novelty classes.....heaviest potato? Heaviest pumpkin? Longest runner bean? Funniest shaped veg?

As I said on the previous thread just concentrate on getting good quality and uniformity before size. Hopefully, you'll find a few folk in your local HS that are prepared to help out with advice but in the meantime please fire as many questions at me as you like....and that goes for anyone else. At my first ever show (1996!)I won with beetroot, parsnips and a pot plant and it was such a ridiculously good feeling that from then on I was hooked.

I look forward to hearing about your progress over the coming months

Simon

http://www.smithyveg.blogspot.com

[marmite]

Hello Smithyveg. Thanks for the tips. As I have a small garden I am restricted to quanitity. My veg plot here is 1.5 mts by 2.5 mts. Its allready planted up. Onions, cabbage, carrotts,10 runner bean plants.In the old fish pond 1mt by 1.5mtrs more cabbage, parsnip, beetroot, radish, purple carrots, and small carrots.Salad bed half mtr sqr cos,beetroot, radish, rocket.Still in pots toms and more toms to go on balcony in grow bags. Also on balcony 4 recycle bins with potatos in. 10 pots of onion, and 10 pots of garlic.I do have a space for 1 or 2, 45gallon drums in the garden. My neighbour has said I can take on his garden if I want to but it needs a lot of work and fresh compost. I dont mind but its the cost and who eats veg 50/50. I do all work and the costs for half the food. What do you think. I compost at my mothers as she needs it for her garden. I could use her garden but I cant be there every day unlike my patch. Oh yes I have started a diary of when I planted the seed, type of compost, potted on etc,so thats a start. Regards Marmite (Maybe should take up steam train spotting)

[smithyveg]

Sounds to me like you've made a good start. As for doing the neighbours garden....depends how well you know them. I started doing an old guys many years ago but when it came to harvesting he conveniently forgot the arrangement! LOL


Simon

Smithyveg!

[marmite]

Today I had a message from a member of this forum they explained quite a lot of advice and details.But what I will remember most is the last sentance which stated.--Just watch, listen and learn--.I have taken the first steps last night to get in touch with a local H.S and attend my first meeting on 17th this month we are looking forward to it very much. Those four words are now engraved in my memory forever. ------So thankyou O wise one------.From your apprentice. Marmite.