Littleover 2010

Last year was meant to be the last show as the organisers retired after many years of sterling service, but happily Colin Nicklin and Graham Morley stepped up to keep the show going. I'm glad they did because it's always a high class show and every ticket you win is worth something. There are always quality dahlias on show and my pal Kev Broxholme was among the winners.

The one flower, one veg class always attracts plenty of entries. I've won this several times before but was let down this year by a poor dahlia, scoring 4 out of 10. My large Blue Belle spud scored 7 out of 10 however.

The main collection class calls for a vase of flowers and 3 lots of veg, 3 of each. Due to a lack of dahlias I couldn't enter this class this year, but I have plans to get back into the dahlia game next season with a better area in my garden to grow them in.

As for my veg entries I was delighted to win beetroot.......

......especially when you see how many entries there were. The variety is Pablo and the 3 roots came from my regular soil beds rather than the raised beds.

I also won the single marrow class with this Blyton Motley which was a superb shape. Sadly it's the only one I have. If I had another I reckon I'd have a chance of getting in the cards at Malvern.

My only trophy came in the cacti classes, where I won best exhibit with this Echinocactus Grussonnii. I won another first,a second and a third in other classes and a regular cactus exhibitor said he knew he had no chance when he saw mine. Crikey.....I only feed them once a month in the summer. Otherwise they are totally neglected.

In the single specimen any other veg class I came 3rd (yellow ticket) with this parsnip which I think should have won. It's a new variety called Polar which I'd sown in a few stations that had failed to germinate.There wasn't a mark on the skin whatsoever and the easiest to clean up that I have ever had. I shall be trying this variety again next season. The winning parsnip next to mine....although bigger was quite marked, and the 2nd placed leek was not only quite a small barrel the foliage was riddled with thrip damage. Judges eh?

Elsewhere I had disappointing seconds, in the cherry tomato class.......

.......the Top Tray where I showed 3 Blue Belle spuds.....

........and in the main tomato class which I was certain should have won. The calyces on the winning toms were almost yellow whereas mine were deep green. This year I acquired some soot from a friend's chimney which I have soaked in some water all summer. I have been putting a cupful in the watering can every third feed (Tomorite and Comfrey being the other two) as Charlie Maisey reckons soot water helps give a deep red colour to the skins and keeps the calyces green.

I won the 8oz onion class for the 2nd year running which is hard to do at Littleover. The best 5 will definitely be going to Malvern. They won't win, the skins aren't even enough, but they won't be out of place.