Kitchen Garden Forum

I have just dug some of my first potatoes and am so pleased with them that i was thinking of putting some in for our local show which is this weekend.Either mayan gold, which are lovely, uniform and smooth, or harlequin, because they have nice purple splosh at one end of each. Anyway, when i washed them i found that a thin dirty layer of skin peeled off and left a coloured layer inderneath, do i have to wash them in this way or am i supposed to keep the outer skin on. Also is it best to do this the night before or morning of the show.

I also thought i would enter some banana shallots as they are a nice size now too, how much would i be expected to peel these and again is it best done earlier or later, bearing in mind i have to tie the ends, will ordinary thread do for this?

Last year there were hardly any entrys for some of the categories and I wished I had given it a go.

Finally Ideas anyone for kids tray garden, last year my son won best childrens entry in show cup and 1st prize in category for a mini allotment but thats a hard act to follow and we are a bit stuck for ideas this time, so far it is either japanese with a pond of carrot koi, or a bog garden with some old wood and bits of fern

I'm only a member on 2 forums but there have been several similar posts recently and i have given quite detailed advice in a couple of replies.
BUT! I have been showing for 30 years, and the history of showing goes back to the victorian gentry who with the help of their head gardeners just wanted to show off.(as all people who enter shows do). BUT! (again) over time lots of rules and regulations and tips and protocal have become established. how many of these are relevant in a small local show i'm not sure. For the serious exhibitor i would direct you to
http://www.medwynsofanglesey.co.uk/
http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/index.php
http://www.rhs.org.uk/index.htm
but for a small local show i would advise that your produce is clean, of even size and well presented. i would not discourage anyone from exhibiting and if you are a novice enter the novice classes, go along have a look and talk to some like minded people. S.Tart.
p.s. the recent sunday evening programme the "village show" which had its finally at Higrove House would have helped you. i dont have the website but i'm sure it will have one. The kiddies gardens were very good.I wonder how a japanese stone (zen) garden would go down? (check the schedule for whats required.)

thanks, I have got a selection of stuff and will decide when i get there, dont know if i can enter the amateur class as last year i entered something, (it was my worm compost, but i was disqualified as they thought i had bought it!)it was much better than the leafmouds which took the top prizes.

Anyway kids are doing 2yr old-teletubbies garden, but of turf over a upside down bowl, with lots of flowers poked in it and 4 plastic teletubbies, hope those dont go walkabout

4 yr old- a garden with a pond (carrot goldfish) lots of gravel some heather, a few small alpines and 2 ducks!

9 yr old- a forbidden forrest aka hogwarts, old 'logs' gnarled branches, ferns and some plastic cetaurs, unicorns and a hippogriff.

would do photos but my camera is broken.

Dear Mandylew, may i just say that you should be really proud of yourself for taking the time to do such things as the kids tray gardens, it's a shame more parents don't do the same.

sounds great ! massive good luck