For a number of years, D.T. Brown has worked closely with the National Vegetable Society (NVS) to bring some of the more unusual, exhibition grown varieties to the home gardener.
If you’ve never grown veg for showing, why not give it a try? It’s tremendously rewarding and you’ll meet plenty of like-minded gardeners who’ll be keen to share tips and experiences.We were delighted when exhibition growers, Gareth and Ian from the NVS agreed to reveal their top tips for show success!
Gareth and Ian’s top tips for Show Success.
1. Start locally at village shows rather than going straight to the national ones.
2. Grow vegetables you and your household enjoys eating, you’ll have a lot!
3. Go to as many shows as possible and speak to exhibitors, many will be happy to share hints and tips.
4. Buy only varieties recommended for exhibition growing.
5. Getting the soil right is more important than feeding the plants. Whether that means growing in an appropriate compost or preparing the soil well in advance with a mulch of well-rotted manure.
6. Read the show schedule carefully as disqualification, although rare, is due to a misread schedule.
7. The condition of the vegetables is foremost in the minds of the judges, while uniformity of the vegetables displayed is usually the second most important factor.
8. Good presentation can win a tie-breaker, so check the show schedule and think about how to make the most of the display
9. On the day, arrive as early as possible, allowing plenty of time to set up. It often helps to walk away and then come back to reassess the display.
10. And finally, do not forget to have fun and enjoy the whole process, from sowing to showing!
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