BLUE RIBBON Gardening

By April Hensley

Gardening is not an endeavor known for receiving awards and medals. When it comes to hobbies, gardening may be close to last in the number of competitions available to participate in. Our most appreciated recognition comes when we prepare a fantastic meal for our beloved family, share long green zucchini with our neighbor, or put together a bouquet of roses for a dear friend’s birthday.

However, if you are thinking you may have a prize winner on your hands, one place to compete with other gardens is fairs and festivals. County fairs span across the United States in late summer. Winners make national and world news headlines. The biggest watermelon and pumpkin, juiciest tomato, or a prize-winning jam are just a recent few.

There are gardeners from all over your area who have worked hard on their beloved plants this year too. If you are thinking about entering gardening contests, here are a few things to help you get started. Good luck!

• To find an event in your area, search online for your state county fairs or competitions, such as “Virginia State Fairs” or “Tennessee Tomato Competitions.”

• The process starts with filling out an entry form on the website. Read entry and deadline dates carefully. Sometimes each category has a different date and/or time to drop off your items. If you are entering peppers and a potted plant, it could involve two different trips.

• State and county fairs have many categories to enter. Some include vegetables, fruits, potted plants, cut flowers, and home canned fruits and vegetables, jams, and jellies.

• There are also perishable food contests for recipes created with things you have grown or art contests for photos of your garden.

• On canned items such as pickles, ensure the seal and the ring on the jar are rust-free with no handwriting on the seal. The instructions will tell you where to label your jar.

• When entering an individual vegetable or fruit such as an apple, choose the most blemish-free and healthiest. Some contests may hold items for several days before they are judged. A tiny, barely visible spot could grow bigger and ruin your entry.

• Above everything, read the entry instructions carefully. Some contests may want the biggest, ugliest, or the most unusual, or a sliced cucumber instead of a whole one on a paper plate. Sometimes the winning is all in the details.