First leek showing

It's my 'local' show at Sutton Bonington tomorrow and I've just finished preparing my 40 or so entries including these blanch leeks. Considering that I have virtually given these no attention whatsoever, save watering and collaring, I'm very pleased with these 'Pendle Improved'. I wonder what I could do if I tried!

Next season I really must get my beds covered over with polythene sheeting and enviromesh sides in order to keep leek moth and rust at bay. I had to strip back a couple of split flags on each barrel, and the roots had the hosepipe spraying inside them for several minutes to get every last speck of soil. A trim to make them level is the last touch, along with snipping off any dried ends on the flags. If i'm honest these are a bit on the tapered side, heavier at the bottom but certainly not bulbous.

At Leicester last weekend I unexpectedly won with these 3 long carrots and will be showing two of these in the long carrot class tomorrow, having wrapped them in paper towelling and stored them in the fridge all week. I usually like to pull fresh roots for each show, but a lack of good carrots has forced my hand this week.

I say I won unexpectedly, because when staging I was aware of a couple of sets of heavy carrots on the bench, but as they were wrapped up I couldn't tell how good they were. During the public viewing it was clear mine were a cleaner, more uniform set and it was good to see the judges aren't always blinded by size. Mine are in the foreground.

It was also the NVS National Championships in Dundee today and Dave Thornton text me earlier to say he had won the long carrots. If he's beaten the likes of Graeme Watson he must have had awesome roots. I hope he pulled all his good ones and doesn't have any more for our little wager later this month, starting at Malvern. My life will be a misery from now on. The big headed git won't let me forget this.