Page 35 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2024/25

long pointed carrots they should have a long gradual tapering root and not a blunt rounded end. Globe beetroot should have a globe / round or spherical shape and not be lobsided. Cabbage can be round or pointed depending on the cultivar and cauliflowers should be symmetrical.
Moving onto colour, this will vary between crops but should be typical for that crop and not pale or chlorotic (often caused by a deficiency). Beetroot do not have to be a deep purple colour but can be a light yellow / white if that particular cultivar is that colour; this is one reason to label your exhibits with the cultivar name so that the judge and public know. Other crops with colour variations are carrots which can be orange, yellow, purple, or white, tomatoes red, orange, striped, dark purple, or yellow, there are also some tomatoes that are green when ripe!
Other factors to consider is to read through schedule to ensure you have
the correct number, and any preparation required like trimming back the tops of carrots and beetroot to 75mm (usually but check in the schedule). Check the time of staging and any other rules you need to be aware of, being late and rushing leads to mistakes or damaged exhibits.
When staging your exhibits check and double check the numbers are correct,
it is a common mistake to find one more
or one less when judging. When staging ensure you present your exhibit well so that it stands out and catches the judge’s eye. Place the exhibits on a plate, dish, cloth
or what ever is allowed and lay them out tidily. Beans should be arranged on a plate or black cloth all facing the same direction with the tail end at the front and if you have enough beans snap one or two to check they are not stringy.
Globe beetroot should be between 60 to 75mm dia, ensure they have a single tap root, good colour and no corkyness at the top; trim the foliage to 75mm and remove any surplus roots cleanly.
Cabbage should have firm heads be clean with a good waxy bloom which should not be marked, leave 75mm of stalk when cutting and remove any poor quality and yellow leaves.
Carrots, ensure you enter the right class if there is more than one, stump or long pointed, check the top of the carrot is not green, trim the foliage to 75mm, clean carefully and choose uniform good, coloured carrots.
Courgettes do not need to be large and should be no more than 150mm in length, in fact 100mm to 150mm is fine and 75mm if of the round type. They can be staged with or without flowers, do not cut too close to the fruit, gently wipe over to ensure clean if they have been resting on the soil.
Cucumbers are usually shown as a pair and these should be a matching pair, the same size, shape, colour and have
a short piece of stem attached which is called a handle. These days the length will vary depending on the cultivar as there are mini cucumbers up to the normal
long cucumbers which should be at least 250mm long.
Leeks can be blanched, intermediate
or pot types so check the schedule as the showing rules vary. They should all be uniform in good condition, firm and a good blanched section. Clean and tie the leaves.
When lifting lettuce try to retain as much of the roots as possible, wash them and wrap in wet tissue paper then put into a poly bag and tie gently around the stem base. Take care when washing not to wash any soil into the lettuce head and remove any poor leaves.
Marrows are again often shown as a matching pair and should be around 300 to 350mm in length; a larger size is not required unless grown for the heaviest marrow class. If a round cultivar it should be about 500mm in circumference. When cutting leave a short section of stem attached and wipe clean.
Onions check whether it is a large onion or 250gms or under class, if the latter weigh each onion to check none are overweight. The bulbs should be uniform in size,
shape and colour and well ripened if a late summer show, do not over skin the bulbs
– that is remove too many skins leaving a white or bright red colour onion by taking off too many skins which is a common error. Tie the tops neatly and trim the roots cleanly to the base plate. Stage the onions on a ring to keep them upright and stable and are well presented to the judge. If it is
a pickling onion class the maximum size is 30mm dia.
Parsnip roots should taper evenly from the top to the root tip, be straight, clean with a good colour usually a nice white. Wash them carefully taking care not to scratch or bruise them, trim the foliage to 75mm length. Lay them on the bench with the roots facing the judge.
Peas should always be held by the stalk to prevent leaving fingerprints on the pod, cut the stalk with scissors approx. 25mm long. Hold the pod up to the light to check there are no gaps or grubs inside. Present them on a plate or black cloth all lined up and they should be the same size pods.
Potatoes should be medium sized of approx. 200 to 250gms in weight and fit nicely into an averaged sized hand. Ensure the tubers are not damaged, no scab, or other skin blemishes. Wash each tuber very carefully and ensure the size and shape are uniform. Check whether the schedule asks for white or coloured and round or kidney shaped potatoes.
There are two classes of shallots, pickling and exhibition, the pickling should be a maximum size of 30mmdia and check
this with a accurate ring before exhibiting them or you will get the dreaded NAS (Not
according to Schedule). Exhibition shallots are the larger ones and the bigger the better as long as the quality is still good. All shallots should be firm especially the neck with well ripened skin the roots trimmed
to the base plate and the tops tied. Stage on a plate or dish of dried sand selecting uniform even sized bulbs.
Sweet corn are usually shown as a
pair and these should be the same size, trim the stalk to 75mm and lay on the bench or plate. The judge will open them to ensure they are ripe with lines of well filled corn and no gaps or missed areas where pollination has not been successful especially at the top of the cob. Most cultivars should be a good yellow colour unless it is a coloured one.
Tomatoes can be shown in three different classes and that’s ignoring the shown on a truss class! The schedule will normally refer to large, medium and small, the large are the beefsteak types and should be 75mm dia or larger, the medium tomatoes are 50 to 60mm dia and the small or cherry type should be less than 35mm dia. Check your exhibits are not oversized or again you will get a NAS. Ensure the tomatoes are evenly ripe, good colour (this will vary depending on the cultivar), firm with the calyx still attached (and not glued on!).
The quality and presentation of the exhibit is often the difference between first and second prize and attention to detail can make all the difference.
If you have made up your mind to enter a show it can pay to grow certain cultivars which are more reliable for showing. As this article is in the January edition you still have time to order your seeds now before all the best ones are sold. There should be a list of winning cultivars from the 2024 National Championships in this magazine so have a look at these, there are also lists in previous Simply Vegetable magazines.
If you have not tried exhibiting or are new to it keep this article handy and read it through just before the show season starts to remind you of what is required.
The best of luck with your showing.
Kelvin Mason
Simply Vegetables 35