Trying yet again to compete at Scottish Branch 2021

 Right so here we go again. Starting to get going for the 2021 show season with an aim to show at The Scottish Branch Championships in September. I will also hope to compete at my local shows Black Isle, Nairn, Lhanbryde & Dufftown.

This all is dependant on a successful growing season and my preparation has started with getting my seeds ordered and composts. Getting quality composts this far North is always an issue but our NVS  North of Scotland DA have a wonderful relationship with Clydeside Trading Society. Our hard working Treasurer has put together our orders and CTS have delivered to Tain. I will get up their in the next couple of weeks to get my composts back to the "Pondarosa" 

I'll hopefully update once a week.

Happy growing Hoss

 

Kitchen Onions

Well here is what I've been at with my onions from set. These were started off on the 7th March in 15 packs. As you can see they have a good root system and that should help get them started. The bed was checked earlier in the spring and some lime added to get the pH up and two weeks ago the bed was top dressed with blood,fish & one meal.  I have put a protective mesh over the bed to protect the the plants until they get well established. This will help protect from wind and any light frost

Memories from 2017

Well while we are in the grip of "the Beastie from the east" I thought i'd try and get back to blogging. I have been very busy over the past couple of years and my veg has suffered however hopefully I will get a little more time now,  Here are a few photos from  last season.

My Kelsae onions from Black Isle

Turner Spring Peas at Black Isle

Pablo Beetroot at Black Isle

Boris Cauliflower Black Isle

Hative De Niort at Black Isle

Lhanberis Leeks at Tain

Amour Tatties Tain

Plate of two at Dufftown

Show Perfection Peas Dufftown

Shallots,Leeks & Onions 22/01/17

 Here is my second post of the year, This is my Shallots, they were planted up between Christmas & New Year. They are planted up in a mix of Levingtons M3 and John Innis No 3. I had them with a little bottom heat for a week to encourage them to root. With it being so mild they have shot away and are far to far on. Currently in an unheated greenhouse. 

 Potted up my Pot Leeks into 1 Ltr square pots. Really happy with the root system. The leeks are growing on strongly and I'm very happy with them.  I've sprayed with SB invigorator and they were watered in with Maxi Crop original.

 Potted on some blanch leeks into 1 ltr air-pots to see how they go. They are Lhanberis leeks. Never grown them before got them from Niall Currie from Rothesay.

 Here are my onions which I hope I will grow on for quality dressed onions, Ones with white plant lables are off of A Grey re selected Kelsea seed. The ones with yellow labels are from Mick Cook seed. They were sown on 12/12/16. Need to pot them on in the next week.

2017 season (16/1/17)

I have not been on the blog for sometime, so here is a couple of photos of where my plants are at this point in time. I have some Lhanberis leeks which are under 12 hr lights and in 1/2 ltr pots.  They are starting to grow now and need potting on this weekend coming.

Here are my pot leeks. I received them from Gareth Cameron at the NVS Scottish Branch seminar in mid November.  They are from Joe MacKenzie and are in 1/2 ltr pots.  These will also be potted up into ltr pots at the weekend as well.

Here are my onions. They are Kelsae from Alistair Gray seed.  Sown on the 11th December and pricked out between Christmas and New Year. They are now under 24 hrs lights and are starting to move on. I'm happy with them and will need to get supports on them through the week. 

I have set myself goals this year.  The first being to try and win both the collection and Potato board at the Black Isle Show which is on 2nd & 3rd August. I have never won the potato board at this show and it is 4 years since I won collect.
The second goal is to produce large quality onions this year. I have struggled over the last few years to produce large onions of any size or quality.
The third goal is to exhibit at Kelso show on the local side as the Scottish NVS Branch are holding the branch championships down there on the 27th August.

National Vegetable Society judges exam and 2015

 

Well folks this is what dropped through my letter box on Tuesday morning while I was at work.  I decided this year to try and pass the NVS judges exams which were held in October this year. So after a period of revision on old passed theory papers and getting the chance to shadow more experienced judges I set off to Auchterarder to sit the exam.  To say that I'm chuffed to bits to have passed is a slight understatement.  All I need to do now is learn to grow the veg correctly.

 

I am re-newing a lot of my beds this year so there will be a number of posts on bed size etc.  I have secured 100 8ft scaffolding boards which I intend to treat with a wood preserve then cover with DPC.  I also intend to have them 2 boards deep if possible.  This will allow me to incorporate plenty garden compost and FYM to help hold the moisture.  that's the plan anyway.

 

With the Nationals being held at Dundee this year I am hoping that I will have a couple of exhibits to take there, but we will have to wait and see.  

Scottish Branch Championship Dunfermline 2014

Well at the start of the year my goal was to exhibit at the NVS Scottish Branch Championships at Dunfermline with the hope of gaining a "Red" ticket. I did succeed in benching two exhibits this year, but unfortunately did not succeed in gaining a first.  There were some great exhibits at the show and two other fellow members of our North of Scotland District Association were also exhibiting.  Steve Halifax had a number of exhibits down and gained a good third in the blanched leek class where the best exhibit in show came from.  Steve also gained a fourth in the collections which again was a strong section.  Graham Taylor from Ardersier was down for his first Branch Championship where he had an excellent show, gaining two thirds and a fourth.  Graham had a very well deserved 3rd in the under 250 gms onion class and a forth in the strong blanched leek class.  He also gained a third in the 1,1,1 veg class for exhibitors who have never won a red ticket at a NVS show.

 

   

 

Below is my second prize entry in the 1,1,1 class.  Sweet candle, Morning Star, Show Perfection.

 

 The Branch Championships was held in conjunction with Fife Flower Show so here is a photo showing the fantastic display of flowers.