The Big Allotment Challenge winners' interview
On Thursday 15th May, Alex & Ed were revealed to be the first winners of The Big Allotment Challenge. Here, they chat about their 'greatest grows' of the competition (along with the occasional woe).
It was a competition and there was no point joining in if you didn't believe you could go all the way...Ed
Congratulations on becoming the very first Big Allotment Challenge champions! Did you expect to win?
Alex: It was a step-by-step approach for me; first being accepted as a competitor, then avoiding getting eliminated in the first round, then wondering if we would ever make the grade in floristry, and then after round four, the realisation that we really could win this. We always maintained a positive attitude, planned very well and a strong determination to do our very best, with just a few wobbles along the way.
Ed: I didn't enter and not want to go as far as possible. I thought we could win it, and once we had won with the topiary tree [in week four], knew we had a good chance. I was really proud of our allotment and knew we had [grown] produce of a high standard. It was a competition and there was no point joining in if you didn't believe you could go all the way.
Who would you say was your biggest competition?
Alex: In the early weeks Gary & Pete, Edd & Harshani and Rupert & Dimi caused us the most concern. Then as things progressed you started to see the strengths in each team, initially we thought Kate & Eleanor didn’t do enough soil preparation - how we underestimated a spot gardening approach with loads of llama poo and tender loving care! I can remember very well that transition in their allotment, around early June, from an area looking quite barren to a lush allotment. We also realised that some teams knew a lot more about organic approaches to disease and pest control.
Ed: I thought Edd & Harshani were the biggest threat really, they worked so hard and it was a delight to watch their allotment develop. I struggled when they left, because I held their work in high regard. After them Kate & Eleanor, I think we had a close, friendly rivalry with them. But not so fierce that Kate and I couldn't bond over the Sunday crossword. Dimi was excellent at the floristry and the boys cooked well. However, we knew it was about winning across the board and no one had achieved that until the final challenge.
What inspired you to enter together?
Alex: I knew Ed socially but had never worked with him before. In the 24 hours between being volunteered by my daughter and being accepted by the BBC, I realised I was entering a competition with someone who was driven, positive and knowledgeable.
Ed: I was fortunate to have Alex as a partner - it was luck on my part.
Tell us about your biggest growing successes (and disasters) during the show
Alex: On the flower side it was definitely the sweet peas and the chrysanthemums that won Best in Show, but also our roses and dahlias, which came close seconds. Not forgetting, of course, our sunflowers, but they didn’t take up quite so much of our time after we got the aphids, ants and black mould under control.
As for vegetables, obviously the melon and sweetcorn, but our onions and carrots were pretty good too! We grew an awful lot very well that featured in our cooking, such as tomatoes, cucumber, interesting varieties of courgettes, strawberries and blackcurrants.
The less said about the gladiolus the better and our runner beans were disappointing (probably after planting out a tad early). Our most constant worry was the hour before each floristry challenge. A big success was the volume of produce we grew to feed family, neighbours and friends.
Ed: The whole allotment was a success for us; we were very proud of our greenhouse and we grew so much that has not been featured - trays and trays of tomatoes. I guess we shone with our flowers, if not always with our floristry... I loved Alex's piccalilli.
Disasters, well the gladiolis, my ketchup and the jelly and fruit butter. Oh and the helicopter table arrangement!
Did you learn anything new from taking part?
Alex: Did I learn anything new from taking part? Where to start! It was a full on project so really getting to know what made one another tick was fundamental; it meant that in the latter stages we just knew when and how we needed to support one another without anything having to be said. I learnt a lot from Ed about horticulture in an allotment setting. We also learnt a lot about the food from the Tamil Nadu region of India as a weekly curry became an important part of our routine.
Ed: More about teamwork than Alex realises he taught me. That size isn't everything; still not sure I believe that though. Some floristry, I hope. And that I love growing flowers more than I knew. Also that I really like drinking Campari.
What are the judging panel really like? Does ‘Judge Dread’ Jim live up to his nickname?
Alex: The judging panel were all very different, as you’d expect. My one regret was that we couldn’t socialise with them more - this was discouraged to eliminate any bias in the judging. Jim was my sort of guy and we’re the same generation. He gave it you 'how it was', good or bad, and the bad came with a wry smile, raise of the eyebrows or a wink.
Jonathan’s creativity was inspiring as was Thane’s palette (a million miles from what Jim liked) and knowledge of flavours, spices and techniques.
Ed: No, he doesn't but 'Judge Fair' is a rubbish nickname. He had it nailed on, praised what was good and gave advice where it wasn't, which was true from them all. They wanted us to be passionate about things they love. Nothing was said with malice and even the bad news was given with a smile. Jonathan was always supportive and Thane told us exactly what she wanted, if you were listening!
Will you be keeping in touch with any of your fellow gardeners?
Alex: We have always kept in touch, although face-to-face contact, telephone, e-mail and texts work better for me than social media – I do persist with the latter though. Sally & Michelle, Edd & Harshani, Gary & Pete and Kate & Eleanor are the ones I’ve had the most contact with since the end of filming; we are foremost gardeners who are invariably social folks.
Ed: I hope so; Gary, Pete, Kate and Eleanor live fairly close. We have already had a few meet ups, watching some episodes in each other's local pubs, and I would like to. We became a close group, particularly when the challenge filming began and TV took over 'our' plots, and after all, competition aside, allotments are about people as much as growing and showing.
Finally, what advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting their own allotment patch?
Alex: If you’re on a waiting list for an allotment, don’t give up hope. Whilst waiting there is an awful lot you can do in tubs and growbags, on a window sill, or perhaps losing a couple of metres of lawn or sacrificing a few paving slabs. In the meantime join the local allotment society and start soaking up the knowledge and experience there. When you’ve got it, don’t over stretch yourself in the first year, cover the rest of the allotment with a large tarpaulin. That’ll keep it almost weed free.
Ed: Listen to the old boys. Don't try and do too much in the first year - grow what you like to eat and is expensive in the shops. And finally, grow dahlias, as many as you can!
