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Calling all fruit & veg growers

Tuesday, 7 March 2006 12:00 AM

Fruit and vegetable growers are being challenged to enter the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS's) summer fruit and vegetable competition.

The competition, which will be held at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in July, is open to anyone who grows fruit, vegetables or herbs in their back garden or allotment.

Budding Tom and Barbara Goods, from the classic BBC series The Good Life, have dozens of classes to enter including French beans, courgettes, shallots, strawberries, blackberries and red currants.

The summer fruit and vegetable competition will take place in the Growing & Showing marquee during the show's final weekend on July 8th and 9th.

Marquee sponsors New Covent Garden Food Co. are also running a special award - 'most meritorious dish of vegetable' - for the amateur exhibitor with the most outstanding dish of vegetables in any of the competition classes.

The RHS wants to stimulate interest in self-growing as seen in The Good Life, or more recently through Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in the Channel 4 show The View from River Cottage.

It is launching a 'Grow, Cook, Enjoy' campaign with the New Covent Garden Food Co. which kicks off with a special RHS 'Soup of the Month' - March Savoy Cabbage, on sale throughout March.

"The race for The Good Life is on and it is no surprise to hear that sales of vegetable seeds overtook sales of flower seeds last year," said the RHS's Guy Barter.

"There are several varieties which the RHS can recommend for beginners as many crops are surprisingly easy to grow.

"At the RHS we believe anyone can experience the joy of harvesting their own produce. The freshness beats anything on sale in the supermarket, the flavour is second to none, it encourages a healthy diet and plenty of exercise whilst tending to them!"

To enter the competition contact the RHS Shows Department on 020 7821 3328 or send a self-addressed A5 envelope to Shows Department, Royal Horticultural Society, 80, Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PE, marking your envelope 'Fruit & Vegetable Comps HCPFS'. The closing date for entry forms is June 30th 2006.

For information and advice on growing fruit and vegetables go to: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/problems_archive.asp

Vegetable categories

  • French beans
  • Courgettes
  • Shallots
  • Salad onions
  • Coloured potatoes
  • Spinach
  • Kohlrabi

Fruit categories

  • Blackcurrants
  • Strawberries
  • Tayberries
  • Red currants
  • Gooseberries
  • Jostaberries

Herb categories

  • Angelica
  • Borage
  • Chervil
  • Coriander
  • Fennel
  • Rosemary,
  • Sweet cicely
  • Tarragon

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