_ONE of Devon's leading experts in growing vegetables for show gave a talk to allotment holders in Paignton planning to hold their own show later this year.

Dan Harvey is a vegetable show judge and Devon secretary of the National Vegetable Society, and has been growing vegetables for show since 1954.

A born farmer, Dan first entered a vegetable show at the age of 14 and won first prize with two lettuces.

At the time he was growing lettuces to sell at Newton Market, a business which eventually raised enough money to pay for a honeymoon in Margate - £14.

Dan revealed his decades of success at an open meeting of Paignton Home Garden and Allotment Society, which is considering relaunching an annual Paignton vegetable show.

Dan told the meeting that after his first success, he went on to win another first prize for lettuces and a highly commended for his onions the next year - and six years later won the most points of any grower in show.

With years of growing, showing, farming and judging experience Dan was the ideal man to tell Paignton allotment growers how it is done.

Alongside many anecdotes of his years of success - including one year when he entered 26 classes at shows across Devon and got first prize in 25 of them - coming sceond in the other - Dan had plenty of advice.

Dan revealed his 'secret', that good crops grow in good soil. He believed in digging deep, adding plenty of farmyard manure or compost and using a strong nitrogen, phosphate and potash fertiliser.

In terms of digging deep Dan revelaed that on his farm, where he has grown test beds for Sutton Seeds, he uses his tractor but firmly believes that all growers should dig as deep as possible for good crops.

He said farmyard manure is perfect for returning nutrition to the soil - but home compost is even better. In fact Dan said growers should compost as much home waste as possible and that it provides twice the nutritional value of manure.

Strong fertiliser is available from agricultural suppliers - and Dan reveals he prepares his soil well the autumn before a growing season rather than trying to feed plants as they grow.

Turning to specific crops, Dan started with onions and shallots - which he recommends planting into trenches right under the soil with any leaves snipped to avoid attracting birds - and revealed that whether growing from seeds or sets he chooses strains renowned for their size.

But he said size is only part of the formula for success when growing for show - and that crops must also be uniform, clean and presented well.

Each show will include a schedule detailing how crops should be presented, down to how many and whether to leave on leaves and roots.

Dan revealed his dislike for some of the 'supercrops' currently being taken to main show, extra large onions, leeks and other vegetables grown in industrial conditions with greenhouses, automatic watering and 20 hours of light a day.

Turning to beans and peas Dan recommended a trench with something in the bottom, such as hessian sacks, to retain water and compost closer to the surface.

Dan also talked about the important of covering beetroot to stop them being eaten by sparrows, the necessity of changing from clay pipes to cardboard tubes when forcing celery to avoid overheating and the use of garlic sprays to keep off rabbits.

Dan recommended a number of varities especially suited to show-quality veg, which are also detailed in the latest edition of the Edwin Tucker and Sonds Ltd Garden Seeds Catalogue - available from the Ashburton company on 01364 562233. http://www.edwintucker.com/

Dan finished his talk, which came complete with slides, by highlighting two important dates in this year's calendar.

On May 8 there is a talk on pests and diseases organised by the National Vegetable Society at the leisure centre in Kingskerswell. The talk will be given by a leading Dutch agronomist.

And on July 21 Dan recommended attending the Ipplepen show to see how vegetables are shown, and how a show is organised.

Full details of both events are available from the National Vegetable Society - which also has a wealth of articles on growing for show and other subjects on its website http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/index.php

PHGAS is now considering whether it will be able to host a vegetable show in Paignton this year.

ALLOTMENT holders are being reminded of the importance of keeping the society up to date with their latest contact details - which is vital to ensure you stay up to date with all developments regarding your plot.

In one recent instance a plotholder's shed was damaged in the high winds but the secretary was unable to contact him.

Plotholders who cannot be contacted could also find themselves losing their plots if, for example, they fail to respond to letters from the society or complete a new annual contract. Keeping the society updated with contact details is part of the tenancy agreement.
Details should be email to the society's secretary Jenny Board at paigntonallotments@gmail.com.

The Derrell Road allotment site currently has just one site rep, and needs two more to represent the interests of members on the site.

Anyone who would like to take up the posts, or find out more about what they involve, should contact Jenny Board at paigntonallotments@gmail.com

PAIGNTON could see the return of a vegetable show in 2012 thanks to Paignton Home Garden and Allotment Society and the society is preparing with an informative talk to be held at the start of the year.

The society used to hold annual events but has not done so for some time, and now hopes to bring the tradition back.

If there is enough interest and support the society is likely to hold the show on one of its sites in July.

And anyone who wants to know how to grow vegetables for show can find out in February.

Joe Wallis, the society's Vice President, has years of experience in vegetable shows and is working towards becoming a fully accredited judge.

He will give a detailed talk on how to grow vegetables to show standards.

The talk will be at the next open meeting of Paignton Home Garden and Allotment Society on Monday, February 6, at 7.30pm, at the RAOB Club in New Street, Paignton.

The next meeting of the Paignton Home Garden and Allotment Society committee will be on January 3, 2012.

The meeting will be held from 7.30pm in the RAOB club in New Street, Paignton.

The committee is to investigate bulk buying chicken manure pellets for the society.

Earlier this year the society bought a large number of bags and sold them on to members at close to cost.

Posters will go up at all three sites over the next month and anyone interested in buying a bag is asked to let their site reps know.

If there is sufficient interest the bags will be bought at a discount price after the February committee meeting.

Ahead of new legislation on the standards of welfare for battery hens, a number of chickens in Devon are now looking for new homes.

If the birds are not rehomed this month they will be sent to slaughter.

Details of where and when the birds can be collected for free are available on the society's forum, thanks to Christine Guiver.

Several plotholders on all three sites keep chickens.

The society currently has £65.14 in its current account and £2,440.16 in its deposit account.

PHGAS has let 10 of its plots to new members in the last month after successfully recovering unused and unwanted plots from other members.

Four plots have been let at Lower Penns after two unused plots were recovered and split in half.

Plots have also been let at Oakleigh St Michael and Derrell Road.

A number of other plots are subject to ongoing investigation and action in a bid to bring them back into use.

The Paignton Home Garden and Allotment Society is to contact Devon and Cornwall Police over ongoing anti-social behaviour at the Oakleigh St Michael site.

A house neighbouring the plot has repeatedly been throwing dog mess onto one of the plots - which has caused one member to quit the plot and several to refuse to take it over.

The council has already been contacted and suggested the matter be reported to the police.

The committee has decided to involve local officers in a bid to resolve the issue.

The committee was told that recent attempts to install barriers had not been successful, and that fencing was now being investigated.

It is understood the problem has been occurring for some time.