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Post by Lou78W on Sept 1, 2012 18:45:43 GMT
We all know the problem of weeds at the allotment...  We've not heard from Derek for a few days....hope the weeds have not nobbled him...  |
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Post by Tel on Sept 1, 2012 18:55:14 GMT
We all know the problem of weeds at the allotment... We've not heard from Derek for a few days....hope the weeds have not nobbled him... He should have been showing at Bury today Lou. |
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 1, 2012 20:51:03 GMT
Have you all been worried about me again? Well, I have had another computer problem.Last Thursday evening I answered the question that Cherry asked me then said what I had been doing but I hadn't finished what I wanted to say when a box appeared on the screen over the top of what I was typing and I couldn't get rid of it.When I clicked on the cross to close it down it disappeared for a few seconds but kept coming back.It wouldn't let me carry on with the forum and it wouldn't even let me log off.Anyway my son has been today and sorted out the problem so I am back to normal ,thank goodness.
To answer Cherry's question again I am just glad to get rid of the weeds .I have enough material to fill my compost bays without weeds.I have told you previously how I organise my compost.I don't know what the council do with the weeds
Since Thursday I have been getting my exhibits ready for Bury show which is tomorrow and I have done all the staging this afternoon.On Thursday I decided to go to the allotment for all the veg ,then yesterday cut all the flowers from the allotment and my own garden. This morning I finished sorting the veg then loaded up the car then I could set off for Bury straight after lunch.I have a large box that goes on the roof rack of the car in which I put the veg .I had to assemble this box this morning.
Staging was till 7.00 but I had finished by 6.30.When I left there was only one vase of chrysanths that I put on and there was only one vase of dahlias apart from 13 vases that I put on.There is some more staging time in the morning so more people will turn up then.
I'll let you know tomorrow how I went on.
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 1, 2012 20:56:08 GMT
 This is the veg I brought home from the allotment on Thursday for Bury show. |
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 1, 2012 21:37:22 GMT
All this doesn't go to the show,of course.It needs sorting out into sets.As you can see there were a lot of runner beans.They were provisionally sorted into the most promising ones which were wrapped in a wet towel overnight and finally sorted into 3 sets of 6 which I needed.By leaving them overnight in a wet towel it is possible to straighten the pods if they are a bit bent.The broad beans also needed sorting into sets of 6 .If these are bent though ,you can't straighten them.Plenty of tomatoes also that needed sorting into sets.Not many French beans as you can see so I could only get one set of these.The roots of the leeks and cabbage needed washing .So these are all the jobs I have to do the day before the show.
A man went in the kitchen with some turnips and said"Is this where you wash the veg?" "No" I said "You wash them at home before you come".All my veg are ready just to be placed on the show bench when I arrive.
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 1, 2012 21:42:45 GMT
While I was staging at Bury this afternoon,Alan,my friend from accross the road along with his grandchildren picked all the apples and pears from my trees.I have only one of each.At my next show there are classes for apples and pears so when I have sorted some out for this I will give Alan some.
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Post by Cherry on Sept 2, 2012 14:01:50 GMT
Looks fantastic. That is a lovely fennel bulb. Can you straighten the rhubarb in the same way as you do with beans?
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 2, 2012 21:11:07 GMT
The fennel,Cherry ,was for the class for "any other vegetable" as was a stick of rhubarb but neither won anything as there were 20 entries in the class.It was won by a celery and the second and third were chilies.No you can,t straighten rhubarb like you can with beans.I am now going to show you three pictures I took at the show.
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 2, 2012 21:17:05 GMT
 My three vases of mixed garden flowers. |
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 2, 2012 21:20:02 GMT
 Some of my dahlias |
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 2, 2012 21:22:46 GMT
 Another picture of the dahlias |
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 2, 2012 22:22:18 GMT
At Bury show I didn't win as many prizes as usual but there was more competition ,particularly in the veg classes.Two or three top class veg exhibitors came who have not been for a few years.
I got 6 firsts,9 seconds and 12 thirds and 4 trophies. I won the trophies for most points in the dahlia classes,most points in the pot plant classes ,most points in all the flower classes and I can't remember what the other one was for.
There were only 2 vases of chrysanths in (one more besides mine )There were more dahlias but I got 3 firsts with them.However the judge didn't think any vase was worth a medal which I thought was ridiculous.You can see my three Jomanda on the pictures and they were just as good as those I won the silver medal with last Saturday.I couldn't see any faults with them at all and they were perfectly matched.Yet they only got second.My vase of L'ancresse at the back got first.Somebody had a vase of three giant decs(you can see one of them on the second picture)which I thought were also worth a medal.The poms were also good. I got second in that class.I also got first with the Hy fashion you can see at the back on the second picture. There were also some small cactus which I thought were good. Why he couldnt give one of these vases a medal I can,t imagine.
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Post by Tel on Sept 3, 2012 18:39:36 GMT
At Bury show I didn't win as many prizes as usual but there was more competition ,particularly in the veg classes.Two or three top class veg exhibitors came who have not been for a few years. I got 6 firsts,9 seconds and 12 thirds and 4 trophies. I won the trophies for most points in the dahlia classes,most points in the pot plant classes ,most points in all the flower classes and I can't remember what the other one was for. There were only 2 vases of chrysanths in (one more besides mine )There were more dahlias but I got 3 firsts with them.However the judge didn't think any vase was worth a medal which I thought was ridiculous.You can see my three Jomanda on the pictures and they were just as good as those I won the silver medal with last Saturday.I couldn't see any faults with them at all and they were perfectly matched.Yet they only got second.My vase of L'ancresse at the back got first.Somebody had a vase of three giant decs(you can see one of them on the second picture)which I thought were also worth a medal.The poms were also good. I got second in that class.I also got first with the Hy fashion you can see at the back on the second picture. There were also some small cactus which I thought were good. Why he couldnt give one of these vases a medal I can,t imagine. The Judge can also refuse to give a 1st prize, if he feels the exhibit did not warrant it.  |
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 3, 2012 21:46:34 GMT
Yes,Tel. I put two Kenora Challengers in and he only gave me second and third.There were a few spotted petals .Not so with the vases I told you about yesterday-they were good.
I have been at Blackleach country park all day today and I finished weeding the border I was doing last Monday.
Went on the allotment tonight. One reason for going was to see what I will have for my next show then I can send in my entries.This is at Tottington next Saturday.I should have a few more spray chrysanths and more dahlias than I had yesterday.I will have some Rose Jupiters ready from plants that Tel sent me.One bloom is almost full open now.
Disbudded the dahlias again then carried on with the weeding.
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Post by derekbrooks on Sept 4, 2012 20:52:39 GMT
 I thought I would show you (and Tel )these Rose Jupiters that he sent me |
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