Page 21 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2024/25

• Whole plums should be stored at room temperature until ripened. Once ripe, the plums can be kept whole in a bowl in the refrigerator covered with cling film.
• To hold the fruit back until judging, keep them for a couple of weeks in the fridge in an open Polly bag.
• They will be green and showing a bit of colour
• Ten days before the show bring a
few fruits out every day with a view to producing twelve ripe fruits with a deep purple colour to choose from on judging day
Whilst wishing you good luck with the judging of your fruit I summarize:
“The Judge will be looking for large, fully ripe fruits, of good colour, with bloom intact and having stalks. Avoiding small unripe or over ripe fruits of poor colour and imperfect bloom.”
“Plum trees do differ from most other fruit trees. They should only be pruned when they are in full growth (July is best) to guarantee a strong annual crop.
Plum trees are easy to prune and are tolerant to heavy pruning
Plun 'Victoria' fan
Correct pruning will reduce the risk of Silver Leaf Disease as well as ensuring the health of the tree and remaining crop. If too many plums are produced, each fruit will be small and may not ripen, so removing some
fruits as part of the pruning process will ensure the remainder are full, healthy and taste delicious.
Ron Nutall
Letters & Poems
To point or not to point?
Please find attached a letter for SV from Keith and myself.
It is as a result of a number of observations we have made this and previous years as to
the lack of collection pointing at shows at multiple levels including Branch and other high- level shows.
I hope this will be of value to our readers and help promote better practice for some of our judges.
One thing that seems to crop up every year, is the number of shows where multiple dish or vase classes are judged, without the individual components being pointed. This is not just little local events but shows at all levels. It always amazes me, how a judge can accurately assess an exhibit, comprising of multiple components, without pointing each individual element. Well the truth of the matter is, they can’t. Most vegetables are appraised against 3 to 5 different properties including condition, size, shape, colour, uniformity etc. depending on the kind of vegetable in question. This means that for a 4 kinds of vegetable collection, there will be at least 12 and up 20 numbers, associated with each entry. Anyone who can juggle and track all this information in their head, is a better person than us. One could argue that where there are common elements exist across the entries, then a comparison could be made. “These carrots are the better than those”. But by how much? When competition is close, mistakes will be and are made.
Pointing is not just a tool to ensure the correct outcome of class appraisal. Pointing gives valuable feedback to the exhibitor, who will have put a lot of effort into growing, selecting and preparing their exhibit. For a judge not to evaluate this exhibit fully, is not fulfilling their role. Pointing also provides an educational element to the general public and potential exhibitors. Often, they are not aware that different kinds of vegetables are awarded different points. Something that is common knowledge to the seasoned exhibitor. For these reasons, even where there is a single exhibit in a collection class, pointing is still worthwhile as it is adding value on many fronts.
So, a plea to all you judges out there. Please point collections and multi dish classes. The NVS has made available excellent pointing cards to download off their website. These not only provide a transparent overview as to how the class was judged but also act as a publicity tool for our society.
Ian Clemens & Keith Hine
Dear Kelvin, a poem inspired at 2 o'clock this morning!
The Gardener Awakes.
The gardener awakes from slumber deep
To write his poem, winter sleeps Memories from past year
Spring growing ever near.
Squashes, onions, roots in store For roasting, soup, so much more Nutrition, does fill that heart
We can make a new start.
While gardeners sleep in their beds My thoughts go round in my head Of catalogues, sundries so much more
For Amazon to deliver at my door.
Winter is upon us as I write
All gardeners rest, tucked up tight. Mice in greenhouses, moles dig the soil
Seeds in packets, sealed in foil.
This poem on draft, must be sent
By Email, not with envelope bent. Pray you garden folk, get some rest Hope this year has been, as good as the next.
Happy Gardening, till next time.
Nigel Ball NVS member Dorset
Simply Vegetables 21