Allotments 4 All
General => News => Topic started by: johhnyco15 on July 09, 2015, 14:02:01
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this is it our first try at a show and show time is nearly here its the 2nd aug 2015 at london road allotments london road clacton on sea essex starts at 11am so if your in the area or on a day trip to the coast me and my fellow allotmenteers would be happy to show you around it being our first time dont expect too much but im sure you will enjoy it so if you in the area come on down the price is right its free
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2 weeks to go to the 1st clacton allotment show london road allotments london road clacton-on-sea essex fun starts at 10 am sunday the 2nd of aug so pop down and have a look around if your in the area and its all free
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I hope the show goes well for you Johnny sorry I won't manage to come it would be a bit of a trek for me it must be over two hundred miles away.
I remember when I was 'showing' it was always a bit of a buzz.
It was not unusual for me to fit two or on occasions three shows in one weekend, I specialised in Dahlias and Chtysanthemums and sometimes a few veg to make up the numbers.
I was also Treasurer of our local C&D society so when our show was on I was doubly busy exhibiting and organising.
It would appear your allotments are new to this game so this link might be of use to you and your members
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Show%20schedule/Show%20Schedule.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Show%20schedule/Show%20Schedule.htm)
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thanks tg thats really helpful :blob7: :blob7: :blob7: :blob7:
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1week to go untill the greatest allotment show clacton has ever seen well i think its the only one lol gates open at 9.30 sunday the 2nd of aug so if your in the area pop along and come and have a tour and join in the fun and its free entry
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Lets hope the weathers better than today Johhny, I take it its raining in Clacky. :coffee2:
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Lets hope the weathers better than today Johhny, I take it its raining in Clacky. :coffee2:
yes indeed kev the forecast looks ok the storm last sat smashed all my long runner beans to bits so im hoping ill have something to show come this sunday and by the way folks its this sunday from 9.30 free refreshments free entry go on treat yourself to a day by the seaside and come and say hello :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny:
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2 days to go i was at the plot 6.30 this morning trying to get it ship shape and bristol fashion my runner beans got smashed last week in the storm i hope i can get some to show
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smashed all my long runner beans to bits
C'mon now Johnny I hope that is not an excuse :toothy10:
With runner beans it is not always about length its quality and uniformity that is key, or at least is should be.
In a class of say six beans, pods exactly the same size,fresh looking and stringless when snapped should always beat a collection of longer beans that although long are of slightly varying length, not quite flat and don't snap cleanly.
Have you got all your winners selected/ picked I used to start my selecting on the Wednesday prior to a Saturday show.
This allowed me to slow stuff down that would be over the top by Saturday,or conversely push it on with a bit of heat if I thought it was not quite up to scratch.
The tomatoes would measured for size plus one reserve because many of an exhibit can get damaged in transit and it if you don't have a reserve you do not have an entry.
Wrap your runner beans in a damp tea cloth or similar until just before judging this makes them look fresher on the show bench.
If you are showing a cucumber try and show one with the remains of the flower on it,some judges like that, if nothing else this will prove it did not come off the supermarket shelf.
Have you an idea yet as to what and how much produce you are showing?
It's a bit late now but if you want any tips I am sure there are a few of us around who have been there and got the tee shirt.
Other than that here's wishing you the best of luck....Tg
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smashed all my long runner beans to bits
C'mon now Johnny I hope that is not an excuse :toothy10:
With runner beans it is not always about length its quality and uniformity that is key, or at least is should be.
In a class of say six beans, pods exactly the same size,fresh looking and stringless when snapped should always beat a collection of longer beans that although long are of slightly varying length, not quite flat and don't snap cleanly.
Have you got all your winners selected/ picked I used to start my selecting on the Wednesday prior to a Saturday show.
This allowed me to slow stuff down that would be over the top by Saturday,or conversely push it on with a bit of heat if I thought it was not quite up to scratch.
The tomatoes would measured for size plus one reserve because many of an exhibit can get damaged in transit and it if you don't have a reserve you do not have an entry.
Wrap your runner beans in a damp tea cloth or similar until just before judging this makes them look fresher on the show bench.
If you are showing a cucumber try and show one with the remains of the flower on it,some judges like that, if nothing else this will prove it did not come off the supermarket shelf.
Have you an idea yet as to what and how much produce you are showing?
It's a bit late now but if you want any tips I am sure there are a few of us around who have been there and got the tee shirt.
Other than that here's wishing you the best of luck....Tg thanks tg i have around 8 all at 15 inches and in good nick shoould all be perfect for sunday next year ill be at your door after show tips thanks for your help ill let you know how i get on i did have around 50 beans around 15 inches to choose from but hay ho what ive got will have to do
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not sure what happend to my reply tg i have around 8 15inch perfect beans before the storm i had a choice of 50 to 60 long carrots are being opened at the show so know ones knows as a bit of fun made my jam and chutney got to pick my flowers for my display think im going all white with maybe blue corn flowers and love in the mist just to break it up apples have been selected and spuds toms are not ripe yet so wont show any but i am growing green zebra so you never know but next year ill be on your ear for tips thanks for you help
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long carrots are being opened at the show so know ones knows as a bit of fun
That sounds a brilliant idea are they grown in pots or are they dug out from the plot in front of a judge?
made my jam and chutney
Oh I never got into that I don't consider that gardening, but then again I am a bit of a chauvinist :angel11:
think im going all white with maybe blue corn flowers and love in the mist just to break
I am not sure about the white blue and love in the mist, but what I would go for if you have enough flowers is put in a vase of just Cornflower and Love in the mist as well as I think the foliage would complement each other.....just a thought!
spuds
Some people polish these I never did. I have heard that some people wash their spuds in milk so that when they dry it puts a gloss on them.
All I did wash wash them in warm soapy water making sure I got any soil/grit out of the eyes.
Then I let them get absolutely dry then I would lightly polish them with a piece of velvet or corduroy taking care not to tear/scuff the skin.
The potatoes would be carried to the show so that they are not touching and covered with the velvet/corduroy so that I could give them final buffing just before displaying.
i am growing green zebra
What the hell is that? thats a nw one on me.................a picture please when you get it on the showbench!
Well that's my tuppence worth so you can either take it on board or just play to your own hunches!
But let me wish you the best of luck, it takes me back to my good old days when this was a seasons work!
(These are not an ego trip they are something for you to aspire to)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Miscellaneous/Trophies.jpg) (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/tgalmanac/media/Miscellaneous/Trophies.jpg.html)
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It's a stripey green tomato TeeGee. I'm trying it this year too. To eat, not show.
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Gosh, showing sounds like an alien world to me! I don't care what my produce looks like as long as it tastes good. :)
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And Green Zebra ticks both showing and tasting boxes.
This tomato was bred by Tom Wagner, here is the story, Tee Gee:
http://www.tom8toes.com/index.php/tomato-collections/green-zebra/green-zebra-9.html
Tom still sells seeds, feast your eyes on those stripey tomatoes and colourful potatoes:
https://www.tatermaterseeds.com/shop/
Others have followed, here are some pictures from the varieties of Wild Boar Farm:
http://shop.wildboarfarms.com/TOMATO-SEEDS_c3.htm
Johhnyco15, hope all goes well and you have a great show day! :sunny:
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3 firsts a 2nd a third and 2 fourth places gave me enough points to win the best in show cup by a good margin my early apples done the trick giving me 3 places :blob7: :blob7: :blob7:
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Well done that man, I haven't been to Clackie for a while, too busy with new house at the moment but have two mates living there so I'll have to pop down soon. :icon_cheers:
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:icon_cheers: Congratulations :icon_cheers: :wave:
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Well done that man, I haven't been to Clackie for a while, too busy with new house at the moment but have two mates living there so I'll have to pop down soon. :icon_cheers:
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thanks kev your always welcome and ill give you a tour of the site thanks galina think i better start planning for next year
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Well done that man! :blob7:
my early apples done the trick giving me 3 places
Now as it is your first time I won't be too hard on you :angel11: but that is naughty.
In some circles that is considered as " competing against yourself" particularly if you are the only one in the class.
Some shows will only allow you to win one prize in a class!
But not to worry you have now had a taste of 'exhibiting'.......isn't it brilliant.....that buzz is something to die for!
So once again,well done! Now we must get you ready for the " Big Time" :sunny:
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indeed tg i had enough points i think without the other too places really learnt a lot today long carrots got caught in the tube and snapped so going to clamp two bit of gutter together next year even so i was the only entry with proper carrots not just root so happy with that got 4th in the beans if i hadnt have lost them all in the wind would have done better tomatoes didnt ripen so no show so im really pleased but so so smuch to learn so i will be on your ear next season for tips
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i will be on your ear next season for tips
Too late then......you start now...today!
My guess is you lost out to varieties rather than produce as some varieties are more suited for showing than others.
So now you note down what varieties ( if known) beat you.
Then come the autumn when the seed catalogues come out you study them along with your show schedule and decide then as to what you want to grow and show!
After all some stuff needs to be sown around Christmas or even before to have them ready for the big day!
There is the other thing and that is how serious do you want to be!
Some people grow to show, others grow to eat, only you can decide that!
I was one of the latter when it came to Veg showing, and the reverse when it came to flowers.
But there are some good eating varieties out there that are also good for showing, finding them is the problem.
But yes lets get a 'chat' going on in the forum over the winter months about this. There are a few other exhibitors and ex-exhibitors lurking about in the forum so their input would be useful as well.
The problem with my advice will be 'timing' as you are more or less at sea level down there in the south of the country, whereas I am getting on for a thousand feet above sea level up here in the wild and wooly north, so there could be as much as a month between when you can do something and when I can.
This is one of the reasons I don't want watch telly gardening programmes.
A few years ago an expert on telly was saying you can sow such and such this week and I looked out the window and my garden was covered in a foot of snow! :drunken_smilie:
For all I know he might have come from sunny Clacton. :sunny:
See what I mean ......Johnny :glasses9:
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BTW you should have used a hose to get your carrots out this would have washed all the soil out around them!
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Well done Johnny.
Tee Gee - I've been trying to find your seed sowing almanac with no luck. Would you kindly post a link please?
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I've been trying to find your seed sowing almanac
Its my signature on all my postings, but if that does not work it is here;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Indexes/index.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Indexes/index.htm)
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i will be on your ear next season for tips
Too late then......you start now...today!
My guess is you lost out to varieties rather than produce as some varieties are more suited for showing than others.
So now you note down what varieties ( if known) beat you.
Then come the autumn when the seed catalogues come out you study them along with your show schedule and decide then as to what you want to grow and show!
After all some stuff needs to be sown around Christmas or even before to have them ready for the big day!
There is the other thing and that is how serious do you want to be!
Some people grow to show, others grow to eat, only you can decide that!
I was one of the latter when it came to Veg showing, and the reverse when it came to flowers.
But there are some good eating varieties out there that are also good for showing, finding them is the problem.
But yes lets get a 'chat' going on in the forum over the winter months about this. There are a few other exhibitors and ex-exhibitors lurking about in the forum so their input would be useful as well.
The problem with my advice will be 'timing' as you are more or less at sea level down there in the south of the country, whereas I am getting on for a thousand feet above sea level up here in the wild and wooly north, so there could be as much as a month between when you can do something and when I can.
This is one of the reasons I don't want watch telly gardening programmes.
A few years ago an expert on telly was saying you can sow such and such this week and I looked out the window and my garden was covered in a foot of snow! :drunken_smilie:
For all I know he might have come from sunny Clacton. :sunny:
See what I mean ......Johnny :glasses9:
yes indeed benchmaster took the 3 places i came in 4Th with enorma elite Casablanca took the potato but i never put any show types in again 4Th with Nadine i really grow to eat and grow flowers for the house but i love dahlias but cant decide on my fav type i love them all i had the best carrots bye far the were new red intermediate and james scarlet but i did enjoy it my beetroot chutney got a first i only made it yesterday when i got home from the plot but yes any help would be greatly received if your down this way id love to show you around thanks again for you help
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Dahlia!!!!!!!!! Which types should I grow?
This is one of those questions that most potential growers ask and there is no definitive answer.
When I grew them for exhibition I found I had to grow in excess of 100 plants, at one time I reached nearly 200 plants when I was entering lots of classes.
When I got this down to just above 100 I tended to specialise in a couple of groups namely small and miniature varieties.
As a rule of thumb you need more plants the bigger the group e.g. When you grow Giants you only get one or two blooms per plant so you need lots of plants where as if you go to the other end of the spectrum the 'poms ' you can get a dozen blooms or more per plant.
So the amount of growing space is a major factor in deciding what types to grow.
This is my slant on Dahlias.
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Dahlia/Dahlia.htm
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Thanks Tee Gee.
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Congratulations johhnyco!
Maybe your success and Tee Gee's knowledge will encourage a few more of us over to the dark side :glasses9:
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Congratulations johhnyco!
Maybe your success and Tee Gee's knowledge will encourage a few more of us over to the dark side :glasses9:
im only going to pop my toe in it really is a lot of work and i did enjoy it however on the other hand i really like the lighter side of allotment life but i will give it my best shot this season and see what i prefer and with tg as my secret weapon who knows