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How to tie onions for local village show

Last post 12-07-2009 10:08 AM by Stevie. 12 replies.

• 05/07/2009 01:45 PM

  Stevie Location: Lincolnshire Joined on: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 2

  Reply | Contact Hi everyone, I've just found this website after looking for advice on how to tie onions for showing. I'm entering our local village show in September & know that i have to tie the necks of the onions with raffia but am not sure how the finished product should look. Do you just run the raffia around the neck & then know it? Do you have to hide the knot? Any advice gratefully recieved thanks.

• 05/07/2009 02:25 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact Hmmmn Hello Stevie old fruit, Well done for entering the show, what class of onions are you showing? Have you lifted the onions? are they ready for tying yet? don't tie them until you've got the skin ready for it's last tightening, then as you know use the raffia in a a half blood knot and don't leave any knot showing or loose ends, put the raffia up the neck in a vertical line and then run it around back down put the last bit inside the last loop pull it tight and then cut it with fine scissors or a scalpel, but whatever you do don't damage the skin, then you can give the skin it's final tightening and prepare as usual with the usual stuff ( can't say it out loud in public), then when you get to the show are you allowed accessories? usually a cloth and sitting rings to present the onions on, if there is five onions put three uniform shapes to the front on low rings cover in the black cloth and the other two behind on higher rings, if three are called for two to the front and one at the back, don't put the biggest at the back if they are a couple of grammes different in weight, be careful of the classes that call for weight as there is usually an optimum diameter that isn't always written in the schedule, but a good judge will be loooking for it, good luck and have loads of fun, and hopefully you will pick up a red card digger

• 05/07/2009 02:30 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  http://farm1.static.flickr.com/82/232533388_cd04941c98.jpg?v=0 Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 05/07/2009 02:30 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 05/07/2009 02:31 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  I should point out that those aren't mine before anyone gets too impressed! Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 05/07/2009 02:31 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact OMG those are awful tying jobs and the onions don't look ready, but it looks like they got the red card so they must've been the best there on the day,according to the judge? digger

• 07/07/2009 01:30 PM	In reply to
  Towser Location: Gloucester Joined on: 10 May 2009 Posts: 4	Reply | Contact  Should one tie up the stems with that twine or with raffia?   Also they look as in they are standing on old Bumpher rolls. Is that allowed?

• 07/07/2009 02:32 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976	Reply | Contact Just curious, digger - how would you do it?

• 07/07/2009 04:47 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact I have to say the show that has those onions doesn't appear to be guided along the NVS lines, I would firstly cure the onion properly so that it looks presentable, bending the top of the onion stem over is a no no also the raffia looks as though it's been tied round like a bit of bale string on a tater sack! the neck of the onion should be straight not bent, the raffia should be soaked in a proper solution then a shart length cut of about 2 inches maximum, run a line of raffia from the top of the sraight neck to the bottom, then run the raffia back up the neck covering the straight piece when the top is reached tuck in the end of the raffia under the last two whips, then pull it tight snip off the excess from both ends, as it dries it will go taught without leaving any sign of a knot or loose end,. digger

• 07/07/2009 04:49 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact I suppose you could use a "bog roll tube" to display your onion on, if you wanted to insult the judges? It's a bit like buying a Bently R Continental and then putting re mould tyres on it, if a schedule allows accessories why not do the job as well as you can? digger

• 08/07/2009 08:15 AM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976	Reply | Contact Blimey, digger, I had no idea there was so much to consider! Very interesting - think I'll stick to growing for the kitchen, though!

• 08/07/2009 08:48 AM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact Yes presentation can take a lot of time but the results are better, I think if it was a small local show with a novice section, an NVS judge would make allowances for the presentation. The first show I entered had a novice section and looking back now the judges let me get away with some bad things!!! but around here even the local shows can be competitive and any mistakes will cost points, most good judges make allowances for peoples inecperience at low level competition but,shows like Southport,Harrogate etc...are highly competed and then district association level and national level have the best growers in the country, I'm nowhere near that high level yet and I find it much easier to eat the veg rather than be humilitaed at a big show!!. I once grew the best blanch leeks I'd ever done and entered a small local show, I was sure I would win with my leeks and then a very dear friend of mine turned up!! her leeks blew mine off the bench and into the kitchen!! pride comes before a fall as the saying goes. In a lot of ways it's good to get hammered at local level, just in case a win goes to my head and I think I'm ready for the big shows, I usally get brought back down to earth quickly. digger

• 12/07/2009 10:08 AM

  In reply to

  Stevie Location: Lincolnshire Joined on: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 2

  Reply | Contact Well thanks very much to everyone for their replies. it is just a very small local village show, I don't even know if the judge is a "proper" judge. The replies re the raffia certainly help though. Thanks again. Here's hoping for a first again for my carrots. i entered them for the 1st time last year & somehow won (mind you there were only 4 entries!!) I didn't enter any onions last year as I wasn't sure how to display/tie but will certainly doing so this year. Fingers crossed.