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Vegetable Show Growing

Once you’ve got the basics of vegetable growing under your belt, you might fancy growing for show. Vegetable show growing is a great hobby.

Sometimes it’s just a bit of fun competition on the allotment site or at a village show where the top prize is a couple of pounds and the look on your rivals’ faces when you get the coveted winner’s red card.

John Trim - Vegetable Show Growing

John Trim with prize winning carrots
at a horticultural show

Once you move onto the major horticultural show circuit, the competition really hits up as you’re against serious growers.

These are people who have years of experience and spend many hours growing the best specimens to be at the peak of perfection on the day of the show.

Growing vegetables for show isn’t, as many think, about growing the biggest. It’s about growing the best example of a vegetable and often the biggest won’t even get a place from the judges.

Luckily vegetable growers are a generous bunch and in this series of articles John Trim shares his knowledge and tips to help you grow the best and get the winning red card at the horticultural show.

John has been growing & showing vegetables for almost 50 years. He is a former National Vegetable Society (NVS) national champion with onions & carrots. He has also won numerous other prizes at NVS & RHS level.

When John is not growing his prize winning vegetables he is either writing or talking about them. He has run courses for those new to gardening through the Countryside Education Trust & as a horticultural lecturer he has given talks to hundreds of garden clubs & societies.

John has also designed two vegetable related gardens for Chelsea Flower Show. In 2007 he was one of the fruit & vegetable judges on the successful BBC 1 production The Great British Village Show which was presented by Alan Titchmarsh.

Growing Show Potatoes

Growing Potatoes for Show, Introduction & Best Varieties

Growing Potatoes for Show, Introduction & Best Varieties

This is part 1 of a 3 part series of articles, growing potatoes for show - introduction & best varieties,  on growing prize winning potatoes for the show bench by John Trim, Fellow of the National Vegetable Society, show judge and horticultural ...
Growing Potatoes for Show, Cultivation of Show Potatoes

Growing Potatoes for Show, Cultivation of Show Potatoes

This is part 2 of a 3 part series of articles, growing potatoes for show - cultivation of show potatoes,  on growing prize winning potatoes for the show bench by John Trim, Fellow of the National Vegetable Society, show judge and horticultural lecturer. ...
Growing Potatoes for Show Harvest & Showing Potatoes

Growing Potatoes for Show Harvest & Showing Potatoes

This is part 3 of a 3 part series of articles, growing potatoes for show - harvesting & showing,  on growing prize winning potatoes for the show bench by John Trim, Fellow of the National Vegetable Society, show judge and horticultural lecturer. ...

Growing Onions for Show

Growing Onions for Show - Selecting & Propagating Onions

Growing Onions for Show - Selecting & Propagating Onions

Show grower John Trim has won the national championship with his onions. In this article on growing onions for show, he reveals the secrets of selecting and developing the best strain to get you the winner's red card at the show. To grow show...
Growing Onions for Show - 250 gram Exhibition Onions

Growing Onions for Show - 250 gram Exhibition Onions

Show grower John Trim has won the national championship with his onions. In this article on growing onions for show, he reveals the secrets of growing 250 gram exhibition onions to get you the winner’s red card at the show. This class of onion i...
Growing Onions for Show - Starting Large Onions from Seed

Growing Onions for Show - Starting Large Onions from Seed

Show grower John Trim has won the national championship with his onions. In this first of two articles on growing large onions for show, he reveals the secrets of starting large exhibition onions to get you the winner’s red card at the show. This i...
Growing Onions for Show - Cultivating Exhibition Onions

Growing Onions for Show - Cultivating Exhibition Onions

Show grower John Trim has won the national championship with his onions. In this first of two articles on growing large onions for show, he reveals the secrets of cultivating and staging  large exhibition onions to get you the winner’s red card at...

Growing Carrots for Show

Growing Long Carrots for Show - Long Rooted Carrots

Growing Long Carrots for Show - Long Rooted Carrots

Show grower John Trim has won the national championship with his carrots. In this article on growing long rooted carrots for show, he reveals the secrets of cultivating and staging  long rooted carrots for exhibition to get you the winner’s red ca...
Growing Stump Rooted Carrots for Show -  Preparation

Growing Stump Rooted Carrots for Show - Preparation

Show grower John Trim has won the national championship with his carrots. In this article on growing stump rooted carrots (normal size!) for show, he reveals the secrets of  what variety, where to grow and compost mixes for stump rooted carrots for ...
Growing Stump Rooted Carrots for Show - Cultivation to Showing

Growing Stump Rooted Carrots for Show - Cultivation to Showing

Show grower John Trim has won the national championship with his carrots. In this second article on growing stump rooted carrots (normal size!) for show, he reveals the secrets of  sowing, cultivation, harvest, preparation and staging for stump rooted ...

Growing Runner Beans for Show

Exhibition Runner Beans for Horticultural Show

Exhibition Runner Beans for Horticultural Show

Runner beans are a favourite crop for the allotment or the kitchen garden. In fact they are probably the most cost effective vegetable you can grow. Champion Show grower John Trim runs us through the details of growing runner beans for the show bench....
Cultivation of Exhibition Runner Beans for Horticultural Show

Cultivation of Exhibition Runner Beans for Horticultural Show

Champion show grower John Trim runs us through the details of cultivation of exhibition runner beans for the show bench in this second article of three on show growing runner beans. This is Part Two of Three Parts on Exhibition Runner Beans: Planting...
Staging of Exhibition Runner Beans for Horticultural Show

Staging of Exhibition Runner Beans for Horticultural Show

Champion show grower John Trim runs us through the details of pick and staging of exhibition runner beans for the show bench in this third article of three on show growing runner beans. This is Part Two of Three Parts on Exhibition Runner Beans:...

Growing Celery for Show

Growing Trench Celery for Horticultural Show - Trench Celery

Growing Trench Celery for Horticultural Show - Trench Celery

Champion show grower John Trim reveals the secrets of growing trench celery in this first part of a two part article  - all to get you the winner’s red card at the show. There are two main types of celery, self blanching and trench. The latter gr...
Growing Trench Celery for Show - Cultivating to Staging

Growing Trench Celery for Show - Cultivating to Staging

Champion show grower John Trim reveals the secrets of growing trench celery in this second part of a two part article  – the first part of Growing Trench Celery covered varieties to grow, sowing and initial cultivation. Planting out and soil pr...

Other Show Growing Articles

Growing Long Parsnips for Show - Long Rooted Parsnips

Growing Long Parsnips for Show - Long Rooted Parsnips

Champion show grower John Trim reveals the secrets of cultivating and staging  long parsnips to get you the winner’s red card at the show. There is a wide range of parsnips to choose from when it comes to show varieties. ‘Gladiator’ is still ...
Vegetative Propagation of Blanch Leeks

Vegetative Propagation of Blanch Leeks

Champion show grower John Trim explains the process of vegetative propagation of blanch leeks which is a fairly advanced technique but this step by step guide makes it easy to understand. Visitors to the top shows are often amazed at the quality...
Growing Peas for Show - Exhibition Peas

Growing Peas for Show - Exhibition Peas

Champion show grower John Trim reveals the secrets of growing top quality exhibition peas to get you the winner’s red card at the show. The humble pea is probably our most popular vegetable after potatoes and most home growers will have a row o...

 

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