Growth industry

As we celebrate the autumn harvest, vegetable grower supreme Alistair Gray lets Caroline Lindsay in on the secrets of lanky leeks and prize-winning parsnips

Retired greengrocer Alistair Gray certainly knows his onions – and he’s got the rosettes to prove it.

Retirement for former greengrocer Alistair Gray is a bit of a busman’s holiday – he now spends much of his spare time growing his own giant vegetables in his garden in Brechin, many of them competition winners.

Alistair, 71, who worked at JD Adam Greengrocers in the town for 49 years, has an old friend to thank for introducing him to the gardening bug.

“Forty-five years ago, when my wife Mary and I got a house with a garden, we had a very good neighbour called Jock Wilson who taught me a lot,” he recalls.

“I started growing chrysanthemums for exhibition but while visiting the shows with the flowers I was drawn to all the lovely vegetables and started to grow them from then on.”

Today he grows potatoes, leeks, onions, carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, peas, celery, tomatoes and beetroot, all for exhibition.

In addition, he tends a huge number of flowers – around 3,000 bedding plants every year, as well as begonias.

So what is it about growing veg that Alistair loves?

“Eating them – especially potatoes and leeks!” he replies.

He also enjoys the challenge. As a member of the National Vegetable Society (NVS), he has made like-minded friends from all over the country and they often share ideas and tips.

And it’s a family affair. “Mary, is the chief quality controller of all the show veg,” he explains. “She has to be happy with it before I can use any of it.”

But not everything in the garden is rosy all the time. “Sometimes you get disappointments when things don’t grow as they should – mostly due to the weather – but you can’t help these things and you just have to carry on and hope for better luck the next year,” he says philosphically.

When it comes to competitions Alistair and Mary don’t look for the biggest veg, but for quality.

That said, Alistair’s carrots can grow to around 5ft long and parsnips to 6ft, while his onions measure 22in round on average and his leeks stretch to 18in.

“Every year we enter the Scottish and National Championships as well as a number of local shows and I’ve been fortunate enough to win lots of prizes over the years,” he says.

“We have just returned from Wales where the National Championships were held. I had five 2nd places for two potato classes, celery, onions and beetroot, and I was placed in another potato class.”

So what tips does he have for budding growers?

“You need good fertile soil, but not necessarily a big garden – you just make the best of the space you have,” he says.

“Other than that, you just need to hope for some decent weather – a bit of rain, a bit of sun and not too hot or cold.

“The NVS is open to all and there are many experienced growers who are always more than willing to offer you advice even if you are not interested in showing vegetables,” he continues.

“Enjoy it and stick with it, ask advice and learn from things that didn’t go right. The good veg will come in time.”

Alistair might be looking ahead to the winter months but there’s still plenty to do.

“Nothing will be planted outside before winter, only in tunnels,” he says. “We still have some carrots and cauliflowers growing outside, and these will only be lifted as needed for cooking as it keeps them fresher.

“Even if you don’t want to show vegetables, it’s very rewarding to grow your own for eating.

“Home grown vegetables are always so much fresher and the flavour is fantastic. And it can also save you money in the long term since you do not need to buy any veg.”

You need good fertile soil, but not necessarily a big garden