Going for Gold! - Exhibiting at the Society’s shows
It's fun AND easy

For 2008, we have cut down the numbers of categories but left all the general ones - such as Summer Class 19: A display of fruit & vegetables grown in the open. (Space allowed 500 x 500mm) as this is a good opportunity to display the best of the produce you have grown on your allotment.

Have a look at the different categories (fruit, flowers, vegetables) and you will be surprised at how many you could enter.

All entries must be grown by you from seed, bulb etc : you cannot enter other people’s plants! BUT you can enter a plant that you have bought and grown on for at least a month.

FLOWERS:
Choose blooms that look fresh, are just opening so they will look good for the whole day of the show and are not damaged (for instance, they don’t have a brown spot or broken tip). Remember to include some foliage from the same plant, pick them late in the evening the day before and keep them in water in a cool place. Check the size of flowers where this is specified as you have to get the number of blooms or sprays exactly right. Otherwise your entry will be disqualified. When selecting blooms aim at uniformity and refinement rather than just size. Great care should be taken in arranging the flowers, because in close competition a little extra neatness and what is termed "staging" may decide the award.

FRUIT & VEGETABLES:
Check whether what you want to exhibit has to have roots, foliage or stalks left on (e.g. Autumn Class 27 : Runner beans, nine pods with stalks). If nothing is indicated, you have no restrictions. Try to get uniform size, colour and shape where you are asked to exhibit more than one of anything. Keep the vegetables clean by gently sponging off soil from root vegetables, but don’t clean the bloom off plums and other fruit.

Dwarf and runner beans should be long and straight and should be staged with stalks.

Carrots and parsnips should be shown with the tops removed about five centimetres above the crown, but for beetroot most of the leaves are left on.

Onions and shallots should have their outermost skin removed one or two weeks before the Show to develop a good ripening colour. Tops of autumn-sown onions should be cut off, leaving about five centimetres to be turned over and tied, but both tops and roots are left on green salad onions.

Cabbages, cauliflowers and lettuce should be shown with roots attached. Lettuce should be lifted as late as possible as it wilts quickly on a warm day.

DOMESTIC:
Jams will be tasted and will be checked for correct finishing (often jars have been incorrectly sealed and are disqualified, so do check the instructions).

ON SHOW DAY:
You will be able to get into the show area at the times shown for ‘staging’ your exhibits. Check-in at the Society table and get the Entry card, which you must place beside your exhibit. If you know it, write the variety on both sides of the card so judges and members can see it.

We will provide paper plates and three differing sizes of vases for flowers so you can display your produce and the tables are marked with the numbers of each category for you to place your exhibits.

You will have to leave the show at the time shown to allow the judges to do their job. At the end, there is a time for prize giving and a time for you to collect your exhibits.

IF ANYTHING IS LEFT ON THE TABLES AFTER THIS TIME, IT WILL BE AUCTIONED