First show of 2017

A top grower (well he always insisted he was a top grower) was once quite sniffy about competing in local shows, implying that it was beneath him now that he was winning at NVS Branch shows with his cabbages and cucumbers. Not me. I still get a big buzz out of winning a ticket at my local show and it was with some sadness that I entered my veg on Saturday morning for the last time. I know the organisers have been a little bit worried about the effect my giving up showing will have on the show as I have supported it with multiple entries since my first show here in 2001, but there were a few new exhibitors putting in some reasonable quality stuff so I sincerely hope the show will continue to thrive. These shows are the breeding grounds for anyone with aspirations to go onto bigger things but should always be supported as much as possible. And besides I said I’d still try and support them with some baking in future years. However, they told me not to threaten them with that shit. As it was I walked off with the coveted Society Cup for most points, and my name will now be etched on the side of it for a record extending 14^th time in 17 years. I’m rather stupidly proud of that.

As I said in the previous post I was particularly pleased with my winning long carrots which were quite a small set compared to many more I appear to have growing. If they carry their weight down like these I’m going to be in a position to compete at the bigger shows to come. One slight concern on a single carrot I pulled for another class was what appeared to be cavity spot which is said not to affect long carrots as much as stumps. I actually used the infected sand from my cavity spot infected stump beds to fill extra carrot drums thinking things would be fine so we shall have to see if this is going to be a major problem for me over the next few weeks.

My stump carrots were almost embarrassing to me. Yes, they won, but if I’d put this set in a National Veg show I’d have been soundly beaten with a sharpened swede, they really were utter wank. I’ll be pulling my stumps for the Welsh Branch Championships tomorrow night and if they’re anything remotely like this they’re going to feed my grandson’s rabbit.

Being a local show you can put more than one entry in a class so over the years in an effort to support the show I have often made multiple entries, whilst being wary of not wanting to do too much and put people off. It’s a fine line but sometimes it’s best to just put one in if you know you’re probably going to win it so that someone else can experience the thrill of getting a ticket. One class I did pull a few entries in was the any other veg class, and my rhubarb was a worthy winner beating my marrows into 2^nd and my turnips into 3^rd. Other exhibitors’ entries in the class included kale, radish, chard, squash and a very large pair of caulis that were unfortunately badly discoloured and well past their best.

I had 1^st and 2^nd in the tomato class but was surprised my 2^nd place entry didn’t actually win. What do you think?

The small fruited tomato class at any show is always well contested and I was pleased to win with a set of Strillo, although I had to cut over 50 to find a set of 10 that weren’t split. Fair to say I shan’t be growing Strillo ever again.

I won the globe beet class with a nice set of 3 that I thought I’d made a fatal mistake with when I was prepping them. I cut the foliage as if I was prepping them for a National show when I suddenly clapped my hands over my face as I realised our show asks for them to be shown ‘with foliage’. Calming down I noticed that I had cut them long at first and therefore there was some new middle foliage still visible so technically I couldn’t be NAS’d and so it proved as far as the judge was concerned.

And the little fuchsia ‘Auntie Jinks’ that I’d been nurturing all Spring & Summer won me another 1^st place. Triffic.

As I said earlier, I’m now turning my thoughts to the Welsh Branch of the NVS Branch Championships in Carmarthen this coming weekend, assuming we’re not going to get nuked by North Korea and America before then, and I emailed my entry form off yesterday morning. Saves the cost of a stamp and doesn’t risk those spanners at Royal Mail losing it in transit. I have entered the rather grandly named National Tap Root Championships of Great Britain but it does all depend on how my long beet pull tonight. I’m having to pull them so long before the show as the daylight hours are getting much less in the evenings by the time those of us who work for a living manage to get home. It’ll be carrots tomorrow night and parsnips on Thursday as we’re travelling down on Friday evening so everything needs to be up and prepped in good time. I’ve entered 9 classes in all plus a couple of back-ups, long carrots and parsnips if the long beet doesn’t cut the mustard, but I shan’t bother with those if they’re adequate for the tap root collection. There is also another collection class for 3 sets of veg with a points value of 18 or less, so I’ll hopefully be going for tomatoes, runner beans and stump carrots, but this is usually a highly contested class so each veg will have to be tip top.

And finally I was in bed the other night pulling off my boxers when the wife walked in on me. “Please don’t do that to the dogs!” she said.

Almost time for lift off

For most of us the show season is now well and truly upon us and there’s diddly shit you can really do to alter the colour of the cards you’ll be winning, if any, apart from continuing to keep on top of the usual pests. My first show is not until next weekend, my local show, and for the first time for as long as I can remember I won’t be entering runner beans or cucumbers. That’s because I only sowed them with later shows in mind and after thinking I may even have overcooked those I am now thinking I’ll be getting some on the bench at either the Welsh Branch, or Harrogate, or Malvern, and certainly RHS Westminster in early October. The first fruits are now being allowed to develop on the cucumber plants, variety Carmen, now that they have ‘turned the corner’ at the eaves, where they have started to be trained horizontally to allow all fruits to hang downwards. This keeps them away from the foliage thus avoiding scratching and means you can manipulate them straight if they’re bent.

The runner beans are now forming although I’ve never seen plants with such little foliage. They do look quite bizarre but hasn’t seemed to affect the amount of pods. I could possibly get a set for my local show next weekend but I think I’ll wait a few more days to get a set up for the NVS Welsh Branch show in Carmarthen at the Welsh Botanic Gardens. You can start picking runner beans 5 or 6 days before the show as soon as they reach the size you require (I’m going for 14 or 15” plus the tail) and wrap in a damp cloth against a wooden batten to keep them fresh and straight and pop them in the fridge. Not too cold mind.

I have a row of Exhibition Longpod broad beans growing away against canes at an angle and the beans are about 2-3” long now, so no good for my show this weekend. Bit of chocolate spot but a Signum drench soon stopped that In its tracks. There is a class at the Welsh for 4 sets of legumes, but as I don’t grow peas I’m fucked, so these are destined for the kitchen I fear, but it has been a useful exercise to gather info on growing them to show if I ever get back into it in 20 years time.

Some of the first kohl rabi to be planted out are starting to swell so these will be too early for Malvern, but it looks like the 2^nd or 3^rd batch will probably be spot on, and I’m hoping the Kref in my polytunnel will be one of them. The variety in the photo is Kolibri and there are another 2 later sowings of this alongside, so my dream of becoming National German Turnip Champion are very much alive and well.

At Harrogate & RHS Westminster there are classes for chilli peppers and I have lots to choose from, albeit they are still green but starting to turn red soon I reckon. My banker variety Hungarian Wax (below) always gives me plenty of choice to make a selection from, but I’m not sure about a 2^nd one I’m growing this season called Cyklon. A case of the reality not quite matching catalogue photo I fear.

With 2 weeks to the Welsh Branch my dream of getting an entry at the British Tap Root Championships is hanging in the balance. My long beet are still quite small at the shoulder, barely an inch and a half diameter, but if they carry that diameter down for 10 or 12 inches then they may look ok. My parsnips, variety Victor, are also starting to concern me as they haven’t responded to the Chempak 8 feed yet and a number of them are looking quite spindly and therefore the root should also be quite small. At the beginning of the month I felt they were 3 weeks ahead of last season but they don’t appear to have grown much in the meantime. I do have quite a few large looking specimens so I’ll be saving these to try and get a set of 5 at the National, so I’ll have a decision to make as to which ones to pull for a set of 2 at the Welsh for the Tap Root Class. Decisions, decisions!

I’ve been picking tomatoes, variety Zenith, for the best part of 2 months, when I’m usually just starting to pick my first fruits so they are well ahead compared to previous seasons. It means I’ll have plenty to choose from for the next 2 weekends, including the Welsh where there are lots of top tomato growers to test yourself against. If I manage to get a ticket there I’ll be well chuffed.

For my local show I’ve been growing a fuchsia variety called Auntie Jinks that I rescued from one of last year’s hanging baskets. After taking advice I pinched out all shoots until 11 weeks before the show, then snipped off all the flower buds until 5 weeks before the show and I have to say it is going to be spot on in a week’s time once all these buds burst into flower. I haven’t grown a fuchsia for a show for several years, and I have found all the cocking about snipping and debudding quite therapeutic after a hard day at work I have to say. If you’re planning to show a fuchsia at your local show do make sure you tidy the plant up a bit, take off any foliage that is turning yellow and any flowers past their best, and give the pot a good wipe. There’s nothing that fuck’s a judge off more than getting his hands dirty on muddy pots.

So, over the next few weeks it’s going to get quite intense as you’re prepping for the show, but do take time out now and again to smell the coffee. It should be enjoyable, not stressful and you don’t want to miss little gems like these cyclamen I noticed growing at the foot of my conservatory wall today. Spiffin’.

And finally Dan Unsworth took to Twitter this week to strongly refute claims that he’s a gay dyslexic. Personally I think he’s in Daniel. And finally finally, the French man who invented beach sandals sadly died this week. RIP Philippe Phillope.

Leeks potted on

Last Sunday I potted on my leeks into 4" square pots, putting a piece of pipe insulation round the barrel and a plastic clip to support the foliage. The plants were then put into a partitioned section of the greenhouse with a growlamp over them 24hours a day. Dave Metcalfe is adamant the Pendle leek needs 'pulling' as soon as possible. The pipe insulation is passed through a stick and slid up as the leek pulls. It's not important to blanch the bottom at this stage, but to concentrate on getting the plant growing as straight as possible. I have a growlamp over the plants but no extra heat. Even with some severe frosts recently I find that the lamp throws enough heat out, although I do throw a few old compost bags over the partition overnight. My onions are also in this structure, the larger ones to the right of the leeks will need potting on also in a week or so.















In my conservatory I also have some healthy looking fuchsia cuttings on the go, the variety being Shelford. I'm hoping to grow a few small standard plants this season, and this variety responds well to pinching out and is very floriferous, the blooms sitting at a good angle for showing.

Fuchsia exhibiting

I love growing fuchsias, especially standards. I always like to 'show' a fuchsia if there is a class for one, or even if it's just a class for 'one pot plant'. Several years ago I grew some ‘Checkerboard’ to about 4’ high which won me several shows. The problem is getting them to the show, especially if you have a car full of veg and dahlias (and last year’s trophies) to transport also! Therefore, I made a conscious decision to grow less bulky plants and have started to do these fan trained plants in 8” pots. In fact quite a few shows around my neck of the woods specify maximum 8” pots for pot plants as they’re fed up of Hilda Knobthwaite clogging up the benches each year with her 80 year old aspidistra in a pot that’s 6 miles wide and needs a jib crane to lift it in and out of the marquee!

Anyways, I’ve mackled together a frame of pea sticks that I tie the fuchsia shoots to make a pleasing fan shape. I’ll nip out any flower buds until about 30 days or so before the show date and feed the plants well as they’re only in smallish pots and are quite hungry feeders. Hopefully, on show day they’ll be full of bloom and I’ll tease all the flowers to face forwards, pick off any dead or decaying foliage and give the pot a good wipe. The varieties I’m growing are Swingtime and Dark Eyes.

Fuchsias on show

I used to grow some cracking fuchsias years ago but as I've got more into the veg they've tended to get shoved into a corner and not get the attention they deserved in recent years.

The trick is to pinch out the growing tips regularly over the spring and early summer months to create an evenly shaped compact bush (or head if growing standards). The last 'pinch' needs to be approximately 90 days before the show date although this varies slightly depending on variety. All flowers are then removed as soon as they form until about 30 days before the show date. A regular feeding regime needs adopting during the growing season with a high potash feed in the last few weeks. The things that 'do' for most fuchsias are too much direct sunlight and overwatering. A semi-shaded position and careful watering are required.

Remember to give the pot a good clean before dispaying on the bench and remove any detritus from the soil surface. Any yellowing leaves or flowers that are past their best should also be snipped off carefully. This is called 'dressing' the plant. Some shows specify a maximum pot diameter so make sure you have potted it on into too big a pot.

A class we have at Sutton Bonington Show (and which I won for the first time this season) is for 6 fuchsia blooms (minimum 2 varieties) displayed on a special board. There is a water reservoir beneath. You need to choose 6 perfect flowers with no blemishes that are as fresh as possible with no pollen dropping. Cut a long stalk as this draws up the water from the reservoir.

My Hathern exhibits

Didn't put too many entries in at Hathern this year as I was trying to make a bit of point (eeeeee I seem to be single handedly taking on the World at the moment don't I? LOL) but still managed to come away with three trophies for best carrots, tomatoes and pot plant (for a standard fuchsia).

I did manage to beat our friend Wendy at tomatoes for the second year running, which is the single most important class to win in terms of avoiding 12 months of ridicule from her hubby Graham. And if I'd entered my leeks here instead of Moorgreen I'm sure they'd have won 'best veg in show' but that's the chance you take. Do I want to be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond in future? Trouble is, if I don't put my stuff in at places like this there doesn't appear to be many other growers in the area and the shows will die....especially if the organisers don't help themselves by forgetting to send previous exhibitors a schedule or by getting the schedule completely wrong in places!

Where everything is at......

Long Carrots. Could be belters. Foliage strong and healthy and shoulders look heavy. Unfortunately, no way of telling for sure until they're harvested.

Stump carrots. One bed of Osiris looks ok but the main bed of Heracles appears to be struggling for size. Foliage is small and weak looking although no real sign of pest or disease.

Parsnips. Foliage good. Shoulders look large but as with long carrots only time will tell if they're good ones.

Large onions. 9 decent ones harvested. Stripped to the first unsplit skin, dusted with talc and now ripening in boxes of sawdust.

Shallots. Hopeless. Far to small to be serious contenders. Pickling shallots reasonable.

Tomatoes. Nice round fruits ripening due to policy of thinning the trusses. Some blight damage on 3 or 4 plants. Affected foliage cut off.

Cherry tomatoes. All suffered blight. Most plants died weeks ago. Some plants soldiering on forlornly.

Potatoes. All plants affected by blight although some tubers are being harvested that are of a 'showable' size. Kestrel in particular very poor.

Cucumbers. Growing well and many fruits forming.

Courgettes. Have been harvesting for several weeks. One Ball is a lovely round, yellow fruited variety that should look good on the show bench.

Marrows. First fruits formed on one plant but probably won't be big enough for first shows.

Two other plants haven't started to 'trail' yet.

Runner beans. Struggling. Plants look healthy but lack of bees means not many beans are showing.

French beans. No problems. 'Prince' looking the best bet for showing.

Beetroot. Struggling. All roots appear to be no more than marble size.

Celery. Foliage excellent. Needs regular checking to remove decaying foliage and weak stalks.

Leeks. Excellent size although splitting is a problem. Lost up to seven layers at the weekend on some of the larger specimens.

Cabbages. Massive disappointment. Not hearting up.

Caulis. Hopeless as usual.

Brussels. 'Brilliant' plants poor although some buttons now growing. Red 'Rubine' is a better looking plant but no buttons making size yet.

Aubergines. 2 tiny fruits have finally formed.

Radish. Plenty to choose from for the 'trug' and 'basket' classes.

Pumpkin. 1 fruit the size of a grapefruit. Not going to be a winner in the heaviest classes !

Swiss chard. Small.

Okra. Give up on this next year

Hot peppers. In pots in greenhouse. Not turning red yet although loads of 1" long fruits.

Purple carrots. Foliage looking good. Will be interesting.

Purple caulis. Have all struggled. Some small hearts have formed but shall not be growing again.

Long beetroot. Poor size.

Longest beans. Runners now starting to grow and several pods showing at 6" ('Yardlong') beans Stopped growing straight after planting and have done nothing.

Dahlias. Very small plants that are really struggling. Emma's Coronet is the best of a poor bunch.

Fuchsias. Looking ok.

Pre-holiday overview

Long Carrots. Foliage looking strong on most specimens although at least 2 stations have succumbed to some form of pest or disease.Rain and winds battered them in June but they seem to have come through fairly unscathed.

Stump carrots. No problems.Foliage looking good

Parsnips. Foliage suffered in winds of late June and several large stalks broken. This will affect ultimate size.

Large onions. Still growing strongly. Biggest is 4" dia.

8oz onions. No problems now although 3 were lost to white rot a few weeks ago. Will probably start to reach harvesting size while I am away!

Shallots. All in trays on sawdust ripening. Good shape but only 9 are larger than pickling size. Should have good entries in pickling classes however.

Tomatoes. 6 plants up to top of the string with several good looking trusses on each. Later plants are struggling to catch up and may not make decent plants in time.

Cherry tomatoes. All growing outside this year. Slow due to wet, cold June but usually pick up quickly during July and August.

Potatoes. Winston foliage looking very poorly...perhaps due to waterlogging. Amour,Kestrel,Nadine and Maxine all growing very strongly. Needs spraying against blight.

Cucumbers. 5 planted but 1 died within hours! No other problems. Marrows. Planted 3 weeks ago but have not strated to climb yet.

Courgettes. Planted several weeks ago but very little growth made. As with marrows I expect these to suddenly take off.

Runner beans. Planted in last 2 weeks only. No problems so far. Better fence erected.

French beans. No problems so far especially with 'Prince'. Only had one seed germinated from 'Purple Speckled' so more stock will have to be purchased next season.

Beetroot. Just been thinned out. Mangold fly attacks a problem again.

Celery. Looking good so far.Taking off collars and examining more regularly than usual.Leeks. Biggest ever. Some sign of leek moth caterpillar damage but otherwise no problems.Cabbages. A few slug holes but no sign of caterpillars yet. Rhubarb spray seems to be working.Large variety 'Brigadier' looks as if it could be exceptional. Kilaxy struggled at first but appears to be ok now.Caulis. Planted in pockets of ground alonside leeks and Tasco onions. Foliage ok so far.Some have been lost presumably to cabbage fly despite powders being applied at soil level. Really need more ground to be able to grow successfully.Brussels. Green brussels 'Brilliant' as expected. Red brussel 'Rubine' lookes very good.Peppers. Plants are all in large pots and appear in good health.Aubergines. In pots in greenhouse.No fruits showing yet but quite a few flowers.Lettuce. 2 trays of seedlings will be planted after holiday as and when space becomes free.Peas. Complete non-germination.Old seed.Radish.First sowings will be made this week then successional sowings at 2 week intervals.Pumpkin. 3 plants planted but only one looks any good. No pumpkin set as yet. Will only grow some smaller fruits for the 'any other veg' classes.Swiss chard. Poor looking plants.Okra. In pots in greenhouse. Plants look better than last year. Don't like to be too wet.Hot peppers. In pots in greenhouse. Plenty of flowers.Purple carrots. Foliage looking good. Will be interesting.Purple caulis. Foliage good. Grown as novelty only for the trug class but may try them against their white counterparts if any are ready. Should make the judge earn his corn.Long beetroot. Only growing 6 stations in a spare drum. Some mangold fly attack. Will probably use for 'any other veg' class where round beetroot are specified in the schedule.Heavy carrot. 4 large pots with carrot grown for weight only in greenhouse. Impossible to tell if they will be any good but seem ok so far.Longest beans. Growing specialist strains of runner and french beans for length only.Runners are ok so far but french ('Yardlong') beans appear to be suffering from some form of chocolate spot disease.Dahlias. Cuttings were very late again and growth is very slow apart from 'Jomanda' which seems robust as usual.Fuchsias. Poor summer had helped in as much as low light levels had resulted in lush looking foliage.