Page 34 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2024/25

Show
Preparation
for Beginners
I am writing this article in September 2024 after completing another judging season over the summer and I am still surprised how many mainly new or inexperienced exhibitors miss out on prizes or tickets as the regular exhibitors call them. It is usually simple or obvious mistakes that cost them the placing, they have not checked or cleaned their exhibit or noticed obvious pest damage. To win at the top level like the Nationals or branch level needs plenty of skill, time, effort and sometimes a little luck, but to win at a local or village show just requires a bit of knowledge and good preparation or attention to detail and perhaps a little luck!
As is likely at many small shows some exhibits are damaged whilst lifting or harvesting, simple things like putting a fork through a potato or parsnip (I saw both recently!), cutting beans without the stalk attached to the bean or picking tomatoes without the calyx or fruit without the stalk. All of these are likely to result in no prize or at the best a third if not many entries. Few new exhibitors appear to carefully inspect their exhibits and remove any not up to standard or are damaged. I realise the keen gardener unlike the experienced exhibitor does not have many vegetables ready as replacements so may not have spares, but often they may have more in the garden or on the allotment. All that is often required is a little attention to detail an preparation to be in with a chance of winning or seconds.
I have set out below some notes on things new exhibitors can do to to improve their chances of winning, these are based on the RHS Horticultural Show Handbook which is available from the RHS and well worth consulting; many shows will have
a copy if you ask them. Also, some shows will print hints on preparation in their schedules so have a look in them. I do
not intend to cover the growing, that is for the experts but will look at the harvesting and preparation of some of the commonly exhibited fruit and vegetables.
Get a copy of the schedule as soon as you can and check which classes of fruit and vegetables there are and the number required. Also any rules or regulations which may affect you.
Starting with the harvesting, take care not to damage the crops as by the time they are staged on the show bench the damage will show up especially if it is
bruising. Handle all crops with care and wear gloves if necessary and ensure your nails do not penetrate the fruit or vegetable. Once picked put into a container possible lined with soft paper or cloth to avoid any bruising. Collect sufficient specimens so that you can select the required number of the best ones. Any spares can be used in the kitchen to feed the hungry grower!
Anything lifted out of the soil like potatoes and root crops need lifting carefully with a fork inserted away from the plant, insert the fork around the plant, lever it back each time about 30 to 40cm and the plant should pull out with most of the root intact. With potatoes use your hands to
go through the soil to find the tubers keep the fork away from them once you have loosened the soil. Place the crops into a container ready to wash.
Crops that have been in contact with
have a bloom which needs to be retained so do not handle the actual fruit. Cut off with as much stalk as possible, the stalks can be trimmed when selecting for the exhibit. Take care not to damage the exhibit with your scissors!
Any crops with a bloom like plums, apples, peas, cabbages need holding carefully to avoid your fingerprints all over them. Place the harvested crops onto
soft tissue paper or soft cloth to prevent damaged and the bloom being marked. Always pick more than you need so you can select the best for the exhibit.
Selecting your exhibits is an important stage and many newcomers often go
for size which is not always wise. Size
is important with large onions, leeks, parsnips, carrots, runner beans and some other vegetables, but it is not an advantage with potatoes, globe beetroot,
the soil need washing carefully (it amazes me how many exhibitors do not wash their exhibits before staging). Use cold running water (try to collect the water to use in the garden to save wasting it) and a soft sponge or cloth. Do not use a scrubbing action but gently push
It amazes me how many exhibitors do not wash their exhibits before staging
courgettes, onions under 250gms, tomatoes and pickling shallots as there are recommended sizes for these crops. A common fault I see on the show bench is in a class for
four specimens three are O.K and one is large or very large, or they will be two small and two large specimens. New exhibitors
34 Simply Vegetables
in one direction. Once
clean dry with a soft tea towel or allow to dry naturally and place in a container for transporting to the show. Keep them in the dark to maintain their natural colour. Any surface grown crops like lettuce which may have had contact with the soil also need careful washing and allow to dry before putting on the show bench, wrap the roots in paper towel and put into a polythene bag.
If collecting many fruits and also some vegetables it is important to retain the stalk as this is part of the exhibit that the judge will look for and check. When cutting the specimen from the plant hold it carefully,
if possible, by the stalk as fruits like plums
seem to think that large specimens count for more when in fact the reverse is the case.
This neatly brings me to uniformity, an exhibit should be made up of vegetables
/ fruit of the same size, colour, shape, length etc. so when selecting your exhibits bear this in mind. The condition of the specimens is also very important so check each one and they should be fresh, firm, not wilting, pest and disease free and no marks. Condition is usually awarded the most point followed by uniformity then size.
With some vegetables, but not all, shape can be important and this should be typical for that type of vegetable, so with