Guidance for Exhibitors: Section 2 – Vegetables


Classes

51Vegetables , collection of 4 kinds (see information below).
53Potatoes (5).
55Onions (4), any weight, as grown, showing foliage and roots.
56Tomatoes, (5), with stalks.
62Beans, Broad, (10 pods), with stalks.
63Beans, French, (10), with stalks.
68Cucumbers, (2).
69Herbs, Culinary, 3 kinds, 2 or more stems of each in separate vases.
70Any other vegetable, minimum of 2, excluding above classes.

Additional information

51The number of each kind should be the same as for Classes 53 to 69, if relevant. Otherwise, as specified for individual dishes in the RHS Handbook. Staging not more than 910mm/ 610mm (3′ x 2′).
70Minimum of 2. Excluding those in classes above. All vegetables in this class carry equal points.

Guidance for Vegetables Exhibitors

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Vegetables should be clean, fresh, tender and without blemish or courseness.

Root vegetables should be exhibited with about 75mm of top. They should be uniform in size, form and colour. Size is meritorious if accompanied by quality (but only in those circumstances) as the production of large specimens of good quality requires more skill than the production of small specimens.

Asparagus — Should have long, straight, thick, plump, bright stems, with well-closed scales.

Beans — Long, straight, fresh, plump, brittle pods, with little outward sign of seeds.

Beet — Of the long type: evenly tapered. Of the globe type: spherical with small tap roots.

Brussel Sprouts — Fresh, solid, tightly closed sprouts.

Cabbages — Medium sized. Shapely, fresh, tender hearts, with surrounding leaves perfect.

Carrots — Roots of medium size, good shape and free from side roots. Skins and colour clear and bright.

Cucumber — Fresh, young, green, tender, straight fruits with short necks and noses and with flowers still adhering.

Leeks — Solid, thick, even, well blanched, with clean, spotless skins and no tendency to bulbing

Marrows — Young, tender, shapely fruits of any colour.

Onions and Shallots — Uniform bulbs of good colour are required. Unless otherwise specified, the tops should be tied with natural raffia and the roots should be trimmed back to the base. At the Autumn Show the bulbs must be well-ripened.

Onions, Green Salad — The plants should be well washed and staged with roots attached.

Peas — Large, fresh pods of a deep green, with bloom intact, free from rust. Well-filled with tender seeds.

Potatoes — Good shape, medium sized, clean clear skinned tubers, eyes few and shallow.

Tomatoes — Unless otherwise stated, they should be ripe but firm, richly coloured fruits with Calyces attached.


Marks for vegetable collections

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The maximum marks for each vegetable in a collection are:

Artichokes, Globe15Kale12
Artichokes, Jerusalem10Leeks20
Asparagus18Lettuces15
Aubergines18Marrows15
Beans, Broad and Long Pod15Onions20
Beans Runner18Parsnips20
Beans, French15Peas20
Beetroot15Potatoes20
Broccoli15Radishes10
Brussels Sprouts, Picked15Salsify15
Cabbage, Cooking15Savoys15
Cabbage, Red15Seakale (Heads)15
Capsicums (Peppers)15Shallots: Exhibition18
Carrots20Shallots, Pickling15
Cauliflowers20Spinach (Leaves)12
Celeriac15Swedes15
Celery20Sweet Corn18
Courgettes12Tomatoes18
Cucumbers, House or Frame18Tomatoes, Cherry (Small)12
Cucumber, Ridge or Outdoor15Turnips15
Endive15