Topic: showing runner beans

[the_plotter]

Is there a sure way of growing runner beans for the show bench.The Aberdeen flower show is getting smaller every year and I might try my hand at the next show. Is there a website that deals with showing veg or flowers or can anyone give me and the rest of the folk on the allotments any ideas.

                the plotter

[Hugh_Jones]

A few years ago the Midlands Branch of the National Vegetable Society published a booklet entitled "Lovell`s Way With Vegetables", which may still be available.  You would have to contact the branch Secretary whose name and address you can obtain from the NVS website.

This booklet contains all the notes on growing and preparing for showing of a  range of vegetables (including Runner Beans), of Lovell Hill, who was one of the great vegetable show winners, together with details of the various points awarded respectively for form, size, condition and uniformity of each class of vegetable.

[Hugh_Jones]

hi Plotter.   Sorry my advice made you cold, but you obviously weren`t digging hard enough if you needed a jumper AND a fleece.  It`ll all be worth while when your next year`s crop of runners comes in.

[the_plotter]

was it mega i saw this morning in plot 46 stripped to the waist and knees knocking with the cold,and digging like mad. dont tell me you left your car keys in the pocket of your fleece?
        the plotter

[Hugh_Jones]

Sorry Plotter. My last remarks were wrongly addressed.  If you don`t have any joy over the booklet I mentioned (or elsewhere) please re-post and I`ll let you have some helpful tips.

[the_plotter]

i will have a look for the book. i fancy showing sweet peas and veg but there is little written on the subject. i will have to search some old bookshops for some. is exibiting a dying hobby as the local show gets smaller each year. we are hoping to get a society started at our allotment site and get some exibits in next year and also a small show among ourselves.
         the plotter

[teresa]

How about a bit of fun, have a contest for the biggest onion, swede, leek even pumpkin.

Get one of the lottie holders to buy a couple or so pkts of seeds and each one gets so many seeds to enter the game. If eveybody puts 50p to a pound in the kitty and end of the season the winners could get a little  trophy. The cash would boost the lottie funds or local charity. Teresa

[the_plotter]

great idea. have got 27 names now to start a society and still about 50 others to see so any ideas welcome.
       many thanks
          the plotter

[teresa]

Glad you liked the idea  ;D
gets you all together doing something. Let us know how your all doing. ;)
Some of my ideas work some dont :-/ should see hubbys face at times.
As for showing runner beans you can buy show seed special seed for entering shows in runner beans onions cabbages etc just cannot think of the name of the place that did them sorry. Teresa