Growing & presentation tips

Section 10 & 11

Fruit & vegetables

Judges are looking for the best quality produce: maturity, freshness, internal characteristics and freedom from disease, insect damage and blemishes. Uniformity of size is important; the biggest is not always best.

Fruit classes: tips for growing

What the judges look for, preparing your beds, and when to plant so fruit is ready for the Show. Section 10. Download the PDF (3 pages).

Vegetable classes: tips for growing

Soil, fertiliser and a planting timetable for each vegetable, timed for late January. Section 11. Download the PDF (4 pages).

Section 14

Pot plant education series

How to grow, choose and present a plant for each class, from cacti and ferns to fuchsias and herbs.

Cacti and succulent specimens

2027: Classes 1402 (cacti) and 1404 (succulents). Download the PDF.

Collection of cacti or succulents

2027: Class 1403, grown in one container. Download the PDF.

Maidenhair fern

2027: Class 1405. Download the PDF.

Any other fern

2027: Class 1406, any fern not listed. Download the PDF.

Collection of plants and/or ferns

2027: Class 1407, in one container. Download the PDF.

Fuchsia in flower

2027: Class 1409. Download the PDF.

Collection of herbs

2027: Class 1418, growing in one container. Download the PDF.

Training a fuchsia into a standard

Growing the classic lollipop shape from a cutting. Download the PDF.

Designing with thrill, fill and spill

A simple way to plan a mixed container, handy for Class 1422. Download the PDF.

Please note: the pot plant sheets were written for 2026 and show last year’s class numbers. The 2027 numbers are on each card above; check the Pot Plants schedule when you enter.

For young exhibitors

Junior section

Pre-school to Year 6

Stuck for ideas?

See photos of previous junior entries, from painted rocks and paddle-pop farms to Lego, plus ideas for the agricultural collage class.

Ideas for the Junior section