HORTICULTURE

General Comments

Certain rules are basic to exhibiting of all garden produce. You as an exhibitor should familiarize yourself with the terms “type”, “uniformity,” “maturity,” “freedom from damage,” and “cultural perfection.” These are the standard terms of all exhibitors and judges.

Type: Type refers to the physical characteristics associated with each variety exhibited. All specimens shown should be true to type. A short clubby snapdragon spike is not true to type. A cucumber with culled ends is not true to type, nor is a crooked carrot. Type means the ideal for a particular variety.

Uniformity: This refers to uniformity of size, shape and color. When the premium list calls for a single specimen your main obligation is to show one that is true to type. But a large percentage of the produce shown must be in lots of more than one. When this is the case all lot members should be uniform in every respect. It is taken for granted exhibitors know it is wrong to mix varieties within a lot.

Maturity: All produce exhibited should be properly mature, unless the premium list specifies it is all right to show immature material. Perhaps more of a problem is the showing of over mature specimens. This is so easy to do when you have planned to show a certain product and because of warm weather, it came along too fast. However, don’t downgrade your reputation as an exhibitor by showing over mature material. Many points will be taken off by the judge who sees a dahlia with tunel, browning lower petals or a tomato with skin that has begun to shrivel.

Freedom from Damage: This term is broad. Mechanical injury is one consideration. This refers to any damage on a specimen made by man or machine. Carelessness in picking the product can injure a leaf stem or fruit, as can carelessness during transit to the fair. Another type of damage is caused by insects or diseases. Judges will greatly mark down insect-riddled exhibits, which is evidence that the exhibitor uses poor gardening practices. Spraying and dusting will control pests, but evidence of pesticide residue on the produce is undesirable.

Dirty specimens are scored down heavily at a fair and for this reason exhibitors must do a careful job of cleaning them. All root crops and other underground specimens like potatoes must be washed but not scrubbed. Scrubbing leaves marks on the specimens, which will cost you points at the fair - moisture escapes through these gashes which shortens the fair life of the produce.

Leaf crops, like chard, lettuce, and cabbage, are merely hosed to remove spattered soil or spray residues. Cucumbers, squash, melon, peppers, tomatoes, and beans can be cleaned with a moist, clean cloth. These should not be submerged in water and washed.

Cultural Perfection: An exhibit that shows signs of nutrient deficiencies lacks cultural perfection, i.e. crooked or weak stems, flowers placed at an improper angle on the stem, weather-spattered areas on the leaves or flowers, foliage burn due to high light intensities or sprays, bleached areas on the underside of the fruit, or sunburn (there are countless other defects). This means that the gardener did not give the specimen the culture it needed to develop into a good entry.