Episode 2 The Big Allotment Challenge

There are over 350,000 allotments in Britain,

where people love to grow their own.

Producing prize-winning fruits and vegetables,

beautiful flowers and delicious preserves.

Now we have brought nine pairs of the most talented allotmenteers

in the country together

in a competition to find Britain's best growers.

They have each been given an empty allotment

and a list of plants to grow.

For 16 weeks they have worked tirelessly,

cultivating what they hope will be prize-winning crops,

ready for Show Day.

-Those ones look good, don't they?

-They're massive, aren't they?

Last week they faced the show bench and experts for the first time.

Former Royal Gardener Jim Buttress...

It might be getting a little woody. I'm not acting.

..floral designer Jonathan Moseley...

I learnt a lot watching you do

something I've never seen been done before with a bouquet.

..and queen of preserves, Thane Prince.

Simple, tasty, nice jar of jam.

Gary and Pete, Rupert and Dimi, Alex and Ed

and Shirley and Victoria

all won a challenge and were awarded Best In Show.

-Amazing!

-Amazing, yes. We were absolutely shocked.

-Yes.

Shaun and Liz failed to impress the experts

and left the allotment for good.

This week the remaining gardeners

will be judged on their runner beans...

I don't think that's long and straight, is it?

-..roses...

-That's our rose there.

-Winner!

-Keep going.

-..and relishes.

-This is really eye-wateringly hot.

And another team will say goodbye.

I'm trying. It's just difficult to see.

Who will dig their way to victory and be named winners

of the Big Allotment Challenge?

Welcome to the programme that celebrates Britain's

love of gardening and of a good competition.

To get this far has meant months of hard work for our gardeners.

But will they get to reap what they've sown?

Are we going to get another Best In Show?

We're certainly going to try.

I think it's important to win one Best In Show every week.

Last week we got Best In Show for our hand tie, which was great,

and this week it would be great, if not to win,

then definitely to get a mention.

Nobody can afford to fail.

You know, it is a competition at the end of the day.

-Absolutely.

-And you don't put yourself up for failure.

Hello, gardeners. Every week we set you three challenges -

one to Grow, one to Make and one to Eat.

And we start with our first challenge, which is always Grow.

And our expert presiding over this is Jim Buttress,

whose challenge this week is to ask you to present

six matching runner beans.

Are you all ready? Off you go.

The show beans should be a good colour, snap easily,

and have no outward signs of seeds - an indicator of freshness.

They should be blemish-free, which indicates

they've been well protected from insects and disease.

And finally, they should be straight,

as appearance is very important on the show bench.

When you plant the runner bean, you want to make sure

that it's in a very rich soil.

A lot of compost.

Planting out at the right time is critical.

The allotmenteers have been thinking about runner beans for 16 weeks.

-It's brilliant, innit?

-This is fantastic.

The decisions the gardeners make now will have a huge impact

when they harvest their crops on Show Day.

If we put the runner beans there,

it could be planted in front of them and for a couple of hours...

We're going to get afternoon sun, we're not going to get morning sun.

Do you want to plant anything, yes?

Yes, I think we can do this bit first. Yeah.

Beans belong to a group of vegetables known as legumes.

There are many different varieties, including red flowering

Scarlet Emperor and white flowering White Apollo.

These are runner beans.

We could have done these in some bigger pots.

But I can transplant them into bigger pots, you know,

as soon as they start to come through,

so I've just pushed them down

and then I'll put a different variety into this tray.

The gardeners have planted runner beans early in the growing season,

and as it's still cold, they need to be started off in the greenhouse.

The young plants should be ready to plant outside in three weeks' time.

The crucial decision when growing beans is when to plant them out.

A late frost could kill off the delicate seedlings.

Sisters-in-law Sally and Michelle are wondering if it's time

to move their seedlings out of the greenhouse.

What's the risk of frost now?

Well, it shouldn't be. But you just can't rule it out, can you?

-That's the trouble. We'll do some, shall we?

-Yeah.

We took a chance last week and we put the runner beans out.

I've spoken to Jo and she's told me they're looking fine.

They're looking good.

We did have reports that they had torrential rain down here,

possibly on the Friday.

I don't know if they've still got risks of frost down here.

With the weather warming up, Rupert and Dimi

have decided that spring is here to stay.

Those runner beans are heavier.

I've never grown runner beans before.

-I've grown them in New Zealand.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

We had hundreds of them, my little brother and I

used to just pick them off the...they were little baby ones,

and eat them raw.

Rupert is a meticulous gardener who likes to take the lead

on the allotment while wife Dimi is in control of cooking the results.

-There we go.

-Good. I think that's enough for now.

-OK.

Gary and Pete planted their runner beans a few weeks ago.

Now they're established, they need canes to support them as they grow.

Yeah, that's why I'm saying it's sideways.

All we need is a month of really good sunshine

for these to just crack on.

Best friends Gary and Pete work in IT

and share a laid back approach to gardening.

-We really need to dig that over.

-We do, we need some rain to do that.

I have got no worries, we haven't lost any plants yet.

We haven't... Everything's as far ahead as it can be.

I have no concerns.

Well, our approach is to grow successfully, as lazily as possible.

-As little work as possible.

-Yeah.

With the runner beans still at a delicate stage,

they've attracted some unwanted attention - black fly.

Oh, there's a ladybird there, look, doing its thing.

It's never going to munch through all those though,

so I'm just going to squash these ones here.

Just going to squash them.

-Look at that.

-Oh, that's gross.

That's them gone.

See, false nails are good for all sorts of things.

Glamorous gardeners and sisters-in-law Sally and Michelle

are not afraid to get their manicured hands dirty.

We take everything we're doing here very seriously.

-But you know, you've got to have fun as well.

-Yeah, it's an experience.

If it moves, kill it.

What I like about this is working as a team in two.

We systematically look at the competition.

Looking at others sometimes triggers thoughts of our own.

It's not just about copying.

As Show Day gets closer, the runner beans are beginning to sprint.

-Oh, oh, oh!

-Have you found some in there?

# Da, da, da, da, da! # Look at that!

They're fine, we'll just give them loads of lovely water, more feed.

-Yeah.

-It was all that chanting you did last week.

Yeah, that's definitely it. Grow, grow, grow!

Jim has been judging vegetables for over 40 years

and doesn't want to see curly beans on the show bench.

Really talented growers will produce enough beans

to have their pick of the straight and uniform ones.

-Six straight.

-THEY LAUGH

We've never done this before.

We've never shown runners before,

but we are told that they have to be straight.

And we have rather kinky beans.

Kate and Eleanor are best friends and keen flower growers,

and arrange their blooms in the local church.

We're making a bean sandwich.

We're trying to help the beans to grow straight...

There it is. There's the bean inside.

I don't think we'll bother doing all of them though.

I think it's too silly and it just...it's so unlikely to work.

There's just a week to go until Show Day.

But I would try one of those little ones.

And Shirley and Victoria are also experimenting

-with different bean straightening methods.

-This could work.

I don't know if anybody's ever tried this, but we'll give it a go.

Yeah, we tried to put the runner beans down a blue tube,

so see if it would help them grow straight.

-But it doesn't work.

-I think it basically caused them to kind of...

Curl. No, it actually narrows. It narrows, doesn't it?

Well, they didn't just curl, they just kind of narrowed.

So it's a no-no.

Yeah, cos they're supposed to be the same width all the day down.

Yeah, don't do that.

Mother Shirley and daughter Victoria are strong believers

in growing their own produce for a healthier lifestyle.

And then we also tried the one with the stick.

-Yeah.

-Don't do that either, it doesn't work.

Gary and Pete have a hands-on approach when it comes

to straightening their beans.

Give them a little squeeze while they're still growing.

And you know this for a fact?

I've read about it, that you have to massage your beans...

regularly, while they're young and supple on the plant...

and then they grow straight.

I'm not sure whether that's a wind-up or not.

I've never seen anybody massaging runner beans...till now.

THEY LAUGH

After 16 weeks of growing, it's Show Day

and time for the runner beans to be put under the microscope.

-Ah-ha! Gotcha!

-Found another bunch?

-Yeah.

We'd have to do particularly badly not to do well in the runner beans.

-We're in good shape.

-Yeah, our beans will be all right,

we'll have six amazing beans in there.

-Look at this, Victoria.

-Yeah, but we need six of the same shape.

I know, six of this.

Discard. That's hopeless, look at that. That won't do.

Growing to show is all about appearance

and presentation on the show bench is key.

Oh, that one's got a blemish.

Jim is looking for six straight pods, uniform in length

and colour, which are blemish-free.

When the pods are snapped, they shouldn't show prominent seeds.

If the beans are too big, they are past their best.

-Look at the juice in that.

-No strings.

-That's great, isn't it?

-That's all my watering.

-It's a perfect one.

-Yes, you go that way cos the board's just...

-Oh, I don't like it, no.

We face them all the same way. THEY GIGGLE

If you'd have told me this time last year I was sat laying beans out...

-Beans out.

-..and trying to straighten them...

-Looking for the straight one!

-I mean, seriously.

I wonder if you can wiggle it and straighten it?

I still think you ought to be able to wiggle it.

-Fantastic, we'll get wriggling.

-Get wriggling.

He's bumpy though. Look at him, he's bumpy. Careful.

We've got to be really careful they don't break.

Oh, I can hear the crack.

Gardeners, would you please bring your runner beans

to the bench, ready to be judged.

Jim will award Best In Show to the finest selection of runner beans.

Joining him at the show bench is preserves expert Thane Prince

and floral expert Jonathan Moseley.

-You did a little bit of massaging of the bean?

-A little bit.

-A little bit.

-To get them nice and straight.

-Gently, very gently.

We'll take one of the beans and we'll snap it,

and it's just a straight...

That...I would have expected it to snap a lot quicker.

It's probably been on the vine a little bit too long.

But that doesn't mean to say that it's not going to be in the frame.

This is what you've managed to find?

Well, they're even if we look at them this way,

but if we turn them round the other way, you ain't going to deceive me,

they won't be even.

Six even beans.

Six unblemished beans.

Lovely flesh inside there. No sign of a bean forming.

You're going to give a good run for your money with your beans.

You remember the criteria?

Long and straight. Don't think that one's long and straight, is it?

They're a good even bean, they've got a good colour,

apart from the obvious blemishes that you can see.

It's just that that, I'm afraid, for me,

doesn't quite have it in the frame at the moment.

Did you have problems with the beans in the growing stage?

-There was a couple of weeks of cold, drying winds.

-Yeah.

And so therefore the bean didn't get off to the best of starts.

It's resulted in a much shorter bean than you should have,

and dare I say it, it looks to me as though it's fairly tough as well.

-Oh.

-But if you get them out there too early,

they sit there and sulk for some time.

And while they're sulking, they're not doing

what they should be doing and growing.

Problem is, I think, too much water,

and so therefore you made a lot of growth but didn't develop the bean.

Yeah.

I don't have a problem with the tenderness, that'd be all right.

But from a competition point of view,

-you wouldn't have to spend long looking at them.

-No.

We're looking at a very even bean,

we're looking at a very straight, uniform bean.

And no blemishes on it.

Good shape, good length and everything else,

but again, we had to tug to break it.

But nevertheless, it's still a very good crop of beans.

Jim must now decide whose beans are worthy of Best In Show.

Well, there are three in the frame for me.

But at the end of the day,

where was I going to finally put the Best In Show?

It's Shirley and Victoria. Best In Show with the beans.

-THEY CLAP

-Thank you.

-Two in a row. Pressure's on you, girls.

-It is.

Pressure's still there, it ain't gone away.

Thank you, thank you very much!

When we first entered the competition

we never thought that we would win.

We thought seriously, we thought, we'll be out in the first round.

It's a bit disappointing not to do as well as we maybe did last week.

But if we're brutally honest with ourselves,

which we're having to be, the beans were something

that we kind of put in and left to their own devices.

-I'm a bit gutted about the judging results.

-I am too.

If he'd have picked another bean, the one next to it,

-it would snap beautifully.

-Yeah. So yeah, it's a bit gutting.

After four months of cultivation the allotments are bursting

with not only produce, but flowers too.

In the next challenge the gardeners will need to produce prize-winning

flowers and cope with Jonathan's surprise floral challenge.

This challenge has two parts.

The first part is to test your ability

on how to grow the perfect flower.

The second part will be on what you do

with your beautiful flowers that you have grown.

Now, Jim here is presiding over the first part of the challenge

and his challenge that he's laid down is for you

to present one perfect summer rose.

The second part of the challenge, you don't know anything about,

and this has been dreamt up by Jonathan,

-who wants you to use roses to create a summer wreath.

-Oh!

The wreath needs to be a circular shape,

with a clear space in the middle.

And also needs to be suitable to be hung, so a method of attachment.

Ideally, I want you to cover all the container

and really create that feeling of high summer.

You have 45 minutes for Make and the clock will start once

all the teams are back in the greenhouse

with everything that you need. All understood? Off you go.

-Summer wreath, hey? Wow!

-Yeah, I know, so mean!

-That is quite mean.

-I've never made a wreath in my life!

-No, nor have I!

-Right. So these are our roses, here.

-So, which one of these?

-That's our rose there.

-Winner.

The thing I shall be looking for on this Make challenge

is roses that are in full flower,

no fading, show no signs of pest and disease.

I should be looking for one single stem,

I don't mind whether it's just one rose or a cluster.

But they've got to be in perfect condition.

It's the very first day at the allotment

and all the allotmenteers are planting their containerised roses.

I must have picked the most thorny varieties.

Unlike bare root rose plants, which are commonly supplied around

November to February, containerised roses can be planted all year round

to give the gardeners a good chance

of prize-winning blooms come Show Day.

-I think we can plant the roses.

-The roses?

-OK, where are we going to put them?

-Yeah, just that corner.

Roses should be planted in a hole roughly twice as wide as the roots,

with the knobbly bit, known as the graft union,

sitting just above the soil.

Whatever the level is in the pots, you plant it to that level,

-because if you plant it below it then...

-Can rot, can it?

-No, it's sends out a suckle.

-Oh, OK.

-And then it's a right bind.

Jo is a fan of the outdoor life and Avril is a passionate cook.

They met on their allotments and both enjoy

the social side of gardening.

And that would be the back, and that would be the front.

-We've planted garlic...

-Garlic around the roses.

..around the roses, which is supposed to help to keep aphids

and greenfly and suchlike away.

Husband and wife Edd and Harshani are passionate about growing organic

produce and met through their shared interest in spiritual healing.

Because of our interest in yoga and reiki and spirituality,

we wanted the garden to reflect balance in your life.

Edd and Harshani are planting an extra rose plant,

known as Silver Anniversary,

in the hope it will offer a wider variety of roses

-to choose from on Show Day.

-Perfect, that.

Perfect, that's a good height. It's just giving it chance to get used...

Different varieties of roses bloom at different times

so it takes skill and judgment on the part of the gardeners

to ensure they have a perfect specimen rose ready for Jim.

We should get some nice flowers off this one. Oh, beautiful.

With the warm weather, the first rosebuds are forming.

But with the sun comes some unwelcome visitors.

Oh, goodness me. Lots of whitefly and greenfly.

Whitefly and greenfly are sap-sucking pests that excrete

a sticky substance on foliage,

which in turn encourages the growth of sooty moulds.

-It's time to die.

-Oh, no.

-Look at those. I think we need to kill them.

-Yes.

The gardeners are removing these pests by hand

and with the help of an organic pesticide.

Oh, my goodness me! It's a jolly good infestation, this one.

The roses are in full bloom,

but if the allotmenteers want perfect roses for the show bench,

now is the time to be brutal.

The instruction from Avril was just keep chopping the flowers off,

even though it seems cruel.

It looks quite naked now, but that should encourage,

you know, the next lot of flowers.

And if not, then I'll just blame Avril.

By cutting the flowers, the plants are encouraged to use their energy

to grow new blooms ready for Show Day.

With the added benefit they have something to take home.

-So, like, here, yeah?

-Yeah, it's almost like the stalk,

big enough for us to put it in the vase, I suppose.

Are you finding this hard to do?

-It's not pleasant.

-No, it's quite heart rending, I think,

to take these lovely roses and zap them.

I mean, I know we've got to.

Family friends Alex and Ed are extremely competitive

and take their gardening very seriously.

-Now we've got a timing issue.

-They're coming thick and fast.

-Getting the blooms at the right time.

-Yeah.

You're supposed to talk to them while you do it.

What? "Sorry, going to cut you!"

Alex is worried that his roses aren't growing fast enough

so he decides to erect a protective cover known as a cloche,

which will encourage growth.

We had lots of blooms and lots of buds coming along,

but those would have finished before the beginning of August,

and there wouldn't be time for a new flush of roses to come through

if we'd left them to their own devices.

We've cloched, really, just to give them that little bit extra TLC,

that helping hand.

Using a cloche is not without risks.

Alex will have to be careful his roses do not get too hot,

wither and die.

With Show Day just around the corner Rupert calls wife Dimi

with some bad news.

Can you look up what would cause...erm...brownness?

Yeah, possibly is it something called thrips?

If you sort of prize it open

-and there's like some tiny, tiny little...

-Oh, yes, yes.

..and see them just glimmer and scurry around when you open the bud.

There are. That's what that is. Right.

Thrips are tiny insects that live inside buds and blooms

and are very difficult to spot.

Early signs are white flecks on the petals and loss of pigmentation.

Left unchecked, they will cause petal damage,

discoloration and scarred leaves.

This has got one. I saw one lovely flower on it.

Gary and Pete are finding that their patch is not exactly a bed of roses.

That's got nothing on it.

That's it, yeah.

-So we've just got one rose then?

-Yeah, there we have it.

We've got one rose, which is all we need.

It's judgment day for the allotmenteers.

Who will have the perfect rose and win Best In Show?

It's got to be this one. It's got a lovely length, it's a nice shape.

Alex and Ed's cloche has left them with plenty of roses to choose from.

-They're not great.

-They're an embarrassment.

-That one, to be fair, is not bad.

-No, that's all right.

It's a bit too far gone though.

And there it is.

Get it out the wind.

The Make challenge isn't just about impressing Jim

with their specimen rose, but also showing their skill in growing

a variety of other flowers that can be cut and used in an arrangement.

-Do you want some of these smaller ones?

-Yes, please.

This camomile smells lovely.

Tricky to cut, so I'm going to be a bit brutal and give it a haircut.

You've got gorgeous ones, yeah.

'Floral expert Jonathan has asked the gardeners

'to make a summer wreath using their roses

'and other flowers from the allotment.'

Here's Jonathan's guide to making a summer wreath.

After soaking the foam ring, secure a hanging device

using either wire or twine.

Fill the outside and inside of the ring, using clumpy foliage.

Remember, remove any excess foliage from the roses.

This really helps them last a lot longer.

Cut all stems at a 45 degree angle -

this helps anchor them into the foam.

Then start adding the flowers,

keeping them close to the ring to maintain that circular shape.

Select interesting forms and textures,

this helps to create visual interest.

Finally, check the outside and inside of the ring for gaps.

If there are, fill in with foliage.

Once they have all they need, the gardeners head to the greenhouse.

The Make challenge offers two Best In Show awards -

one for the rose specimen and one for the summer wreath.

OK, your time starts now.

I think this week's Make challenge will be quite hard

for the gardeners, because for many of them it's the first time they'll

be cutting flower material and putting it into fresh floral foam.

I've got to tie the string somehow, to hook it up.

This week I'm really upping the ante.

They need to be daring in their creativity

but they also need to be technically safe in the design.

Don't you think that will just rip straight off?

Otherwise it's all going to come crashing out

and look just like a pile of flowers on the table.

-Is that going to be strong enough?

-Yeah, it will be. Oh, no, it's not.

-It's not strong enough, is it?

-I know.

It's important that the gardeners thoroughly soak their floral foam.

I thought we'd start by putting the mechanism

by which we're going to support it, you know, hang it.

It's like a little bit of scaffolding going on there.

Whether it's 100% necessary I'm not too sure.

So, with the flowers here, Ed, what are you planning on using?

I really like these Emma Hamilton roses.

We're not too sure how well this red will work with Lady Emma

but we've brought them to try it.

Because that red might sex Lady Emma up a little bit.

Once soaked, foliage is added to the border of the foam ring.

I might need some more foliage already.

-Just get some more of this.

-Some more of the ivy?

-This is an extremely tricky challenge.

-Very tricky in the time.

And because we've also got to work out what it's going to look like

because we don't really know what it's going to look like.

I'm sure some people do, but we don't really.

We need to get it really covered high

so there's not a lot of sort of visual space left.

45 minutes is not a lot of time for this sort of thing.

No, not at all.

Short and pruny in there, you don't want to see the foam.

-What?

-How do I...

-In small amounts.

-How do I block that bit up then?

-Space in the middle.

-Space, but you can't see the mechanics.

Yeah, that's fine like that, yeah.

The gardeners have just 25 minutes remaining.

-Can I just stand it up and see?

-Yes. If I hold it.

Looks a bit like a fernery.

It does and we've got to be careful we don't lose that sort of...

-The roundness. Is that wrong?

-Well, it might be.

-I don't think it's wrong.

-Where's your specimen rose? Ah, good.

-This Winchester Cathedral?

-Yes, that's correct. Yes.

So, is he the only one that you had in full bloom?

-Yeah.

-Opened today.

-Flowers are sort of quite limited.

-Unfortunately that's all we've got.

Yeah, yeah. I'm a bit concerned of where's the impact going to be here?

But you see, I like this because it's sort of...

It's quite romantic and a bit fairy story. But that's my take on it.

I can see a fairy garden where the fairies have magicked flowers away.

We haven't finished. We are going to put flowers on it.

-We need some more.

-Do you want some small ones?

-Yeah.

Once the foam is covered with foliage

it's time to add the flowers.

OK, do you want to put that?

I just feel like these stems are far too long,

-I can't push them in properly.

-OK. No, no, no. You want it shorter?

-Yeah, I'm breaking them.

-OK.

-That's too long, you see.

-Well, just trim it. Trim it.

-This isn't easy, is it?

-What does that look like?

All around the edges. Put them all around the edges.

Every little bit, it mustn't show.

I think we've got the perfect rose.

Let's put some flowers in and see, I think we'd be better off...

Let's work our way round, and put cosmos round the outside.

And dahlias.

I've noticed with Gary and Pete, now they've started

to add the flowers in, it is taking on a different look.

I'm always really shocked, because those two big guys

seem to pick the smallest, tiniest flowers.

-I think I could make florists out of them.

-Really?

A bit of guidance, they could get there.

-Every bit...

-Yes, I'm getting the board up.

I'm trying, it's just difficult to see.

That has to go, undulate. It should go in a wave around...

There's a lot of work to do on the outside yet.

Right, now just a little few tufts of gypsophila round the roses.

Two minutes left! Two minutes!

-AS FERN:

-Two minutes left! Two minutes!

Come here, come here, come here, come here.

-Down, down.

-We've got to hang it up.

-Put that up like that.

-Are you pleased with it?

Keep going.

And that's it, time's up!

Please turn your wreaths round, ready to be judged.

-I thought that was really hard.

-Yeah.

-Really difficult.

'We had no idea how to do a wreath at all.'

Not sure Jonathan will like it but I think I can hear him laughing.

The show rose needs to have fresh blooms, a straight stem

and no sign of pest damage.

For the summer wreath, Jonathan is looking for a good use of colour,

an attractive design and an even circular shape

with a clear space in the middle.

Right... Lovely. Lady Emma Hamilton?

-It is, yes.

-Yeah, a good shrub rose.

It's got a lovely shape to it. Just nice and fresh.

Would like to have seen a couple more leaves on it,

but nice and clean. Good start.

It's great that you've actually had enough roses to repeat that

in the summer wreath, but as I look at it,

this red, it dissects this design in two,

which makes it look bottom heavy.

A little bit more thought would have made that a more successful design.

Flowers are looking good and the leaves are also looking good.

Got a good stem to it. I like the flowers.

They're not showing too much pest and disease.

You've really looked at colour harmony here

because that wonderful veining through the cosmos,

it's repeated through the subtlety there of that pale pink sweet pea,

through to the blue of the cornflour.

And look at this for attention to detail -

we've repeated these key colours in the ribbon.

Oh. It's on a very short stem, isn't it?

It wasn't like that to start with.

Really? Who used the secateurs to cut it then?

What are you looking at Mum for?

I'd like to have seen a bit more stem on it,

cos then, you see, when you sit it in

you can see a little bit more of the flower.

Colour scheme, I think, good interpretation.

That is a summer garden, isn't it?

The rose itself is slightly misshapen and it's starting to fade.

These big heavy dahlias, it reminds me a bit of a funeral wreath.

THEY LAUGH

There's a damage on the flowers, which you wouldn't want to see.

And obviously at some stage

-there was either another flower bud there...

-Yes.

..and there and they got damaged so you cut them off.

So you've got a bare stalk here, with one little leaf.

We had a great deal of difficulty getting to grow large

in the beginning of the season and then they came in too early

and then when they came in, they were covered in thrips.

-It's not been great.

-It's been very difficult.

I can sort of picture this hung on a church door

or a lych gate to welcome guests to a wedding.

I'm looking at all the damage on the leaves.

They are quite damaged.

It's got this sort of slightly woodlandy,

like a Green Man feel to it.

He said to me he might be able to make florists of you two.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Creativity can be nurtured and developed.

Do you want to be nurtured and developed?

-Oh, I don't know!

-THEY LAUGH

-Not by Jonathan!

-Thanks, Jim!

The leaf, I like. The leaf is perfectly clean.

There's nothing wrong with it at all.

But my worry is the actual rose itself.

It's almost going past its sell by date.

This is like a heady, fragrant summer wine,

packed with summer goodies.

Cleverly you've selected buds, seed heads of Nigella,

and little subtle hints like this silver shimmery foliage

from the cineraria in there.

I'd like to have seen a bit more leaf on it, but it's got class to it.

I'm really, really concerned about the damage on these roses,

because instantly it pulls down the visual impact.

Whenever you're using a fragile white flower like roses,

put them in last, because the less they get knocked

and brushed, the less susceptible they are to further bruising.

Jim, would you please award Best In Show to the single rose.

I will indeed.

Ladies, Jo and Avril, Best In Show. THEY CLAP

So, Jonathan, it's up to you now.

Who has won Best In Show for their summer wreath?

Well, we've seen some excellent examples of summer wreaths...

..but for workmanship, for colour, for design...

..Kate and Eleanor, you combined all those attributes.

-THEY CLAP

-Congratulations. Well done.

Everybody, you have done brilliantly today, but now it's time

to rest and get yourselves ready for the third challenge.

We'll see you soon.

We're absolutely delighted to have won Best In Show for our wreath.

Because we haven't had one before, so it's particularly lovely.

THEY LAUGH Absolutely buzzing.

-Brilliant.

-Yeah, absolutely brilliant.

-Yeah, wasn't expecting it.

Just one challenge remains for the gardeners, before the experts

decide which will be the second team to leave the allotment.

We're well prepared. We're going to play it safe, though.

We're going to keep the car engine running,

in case we have to make a run for it.

If the Eat challenge goes...

-down the tubes, yeah, bye-bye.

-Yeah.

We're off, I think.

Hopefully we'll be back next week.

We'll definitely be back next week, I think.

-Definitely.

-I retract the "definitely".

We'd like to come back next week.

The Eat challenge gives the allotmenteers the chance to

use the fruit, vegetables and herbs they've grown on their patch

to impress our expert, Thane, with their preserving skills.

Welcome back for the final challenge of this week,

which is Eat.

Now, Thane Prince is our preserves expert,

she would like you to make a sauce and a relish.

You'll have one hour 45 minutes and the clock starts once everybody's

picked everything you need and you're back in the greenhouse.

Off you go.

So, I think the first thing we'll pick are the tomatoes.

I'll just cut them with a bit of stem on,

so they stay fresh for a bit longer.

That's good.

Nothing wrong with that.

Look how many of these are on one bunch.

I know, look at this one! Look.

Thane, they're busy collecting and picking now,

but I wouldn't know where to start with the sauce.

What kind of sauce?

Something that you could dip your chips into, that you could

pour on your sausage, or perhaps even baste your meat or fish with.

With a relish, I'm looking for a chunky,

fresh tasting vegetable relish.

But the chunkiness has to be exact.

The green ones are mild, cos they haven't warmed up yet.

So they can go in the green pepper sauce for bulk.

Oh, that's good, we'll have one of those.

It's a little bit hotter when you get to the seeds.

'Now they've picked their ingredients from their allotments,

'it's time to start preserving.'

You have one hour, 45 minutes.

Are you ready? Off you go.

An hour and 45 minutes? Doable?

For some.

OK, so we need the board and the knives.

The sauce needs to be smooth, it needs to be pip-free.

The only allowance I'm going to make is

if it's a chilli sauce, I'll let them have some chilli seeds in.

And when I pour it onto the plate, it mustn't separate.

These onions are lovely.

They're nice and fresh, they'll be a beautiful flavour.

The gardeners must pay attention to the texture and

consistency of the sauce.

Edd and Harshani are using a tomato and onion base

for their tangy barbecue sauce.

You've chosen to highlight the tomatoes

and the onions from your patch in this challenge?

-Yes, we're using really tasty tomatoes.

-Tigerella.

And this is a Zlatava.

-Oh, they're beautiful.

-Aren't they?

-Oh, lovely.

-Ah! Look at that.

So we're looking for flavours and tastes.

'When making a sauce, the correct thickness is key.

'Undercooking the vegetables will leave the sauce watery.

'Overcooking will make it thick and gloopy.'

What do you think in terms of the texture now?

The texture's still quite...

I think that still needs to cook out a bit.

'Gary and Pete have roasted green peppers and chillies

'for their hot green pepper sauce.'

We burnt the peppers on purpose, to give them a roasted flavour.

So, it's like a roast pepper sauce.

And you can peel the skins off easier

and the sauce is just a bit smoother without the skins in.

Rupert and Dimi are adding a fiery twist to their sweet chilli sauce.

That one's ridiculously hot.

That's actually the world's hottest pepper.

-It's a Naga Viper pepper.

-Naga Viper?

It's about five times hotter than a Scotch Bonnet.

-You weighed it out, didn't you?

-Well, no...

It's OK, it's fine like that, I think.

No, no, no. Recipe, please?

Well, I've just put a couple of handfuls in.

I haven't put, like, you know, loads.

But we need to make at least 200mls.

Alex and Ed are making a beetroot sauce.

Is the beetroot coming to the boil?

It is, slowly.

Just bringing it up to temperature.

We'll adjust the flavourings when it's done.

It was a bit hot.

My lips are still burning.

I can still feel the tingle.

Is this your relish?

It's called Chillitillo.

That's what we've called it.

So we've grown the chillies,

And the tomatillo.

The tomatillo, which are like a cross between a tomato and a lemon.

Michelle, you haven't been very well, have you?

I haven't, no. I've had an allergic reaction to something,

but nothing's going to get between us and our sauce and relish today.

'The allotmenteers only have 45 minutes left.'

An even chop is crucial when making a relish.

Where's the tomato puree? In the fridge?

The amount of time spent on the heat is vital.

The vegetables in the relish need to maintain their crunch,

so as not to become a soft mush.

This time of year, you've just got so many vegetables

growing on the allotment, and it's just what to do with them.

I've only used the skins of the courgettes and the aubergines,

cos I don't want it to be a big mushy mess.

Just so it's got a nice crunch to it still, but without being too chewy.

So I'm hoping that I just get the mix right.

Edd and Harshani are making their well-rehearsed ruby onion relish.

-EDD:

-'We've practised and practised.

'I must have run the relish through at least five or six times,

'just to get it absolutely perfect.'

-Is this your relish?

-It is.

And this is red onion, port... I'm very interested in port.

-Yes, absolutely.

-And what else?

Balsamic vinegar, brown sugar.

You don't think the one will cancel the flavour of the other out?

If you're very careful, it's just enough.

-I'm looking forward to trying that, you better not let me down.

-Me too.

Ah! That is really hot.

-It needs to be as fine as you can make it, really.

-OK.

So, what are we making here?

It's called Three Rs. A - because I'm a teacher,

and it's round, red, radish.

Because of growing radish at school with the children

and then you always end up with a glut,

so a colleague of mine said,

"I'll see what I can do with it."

And then I fiddled around with her recipe.

This is our exciting discovery. It's nasturtium seeds.

-They go into the relish.

-Really, truly?

Mm.

Whoa, there's a big kick on the back.

It's quite a clean kick, though.

It is, lovely.

-DIMI:

-Stop.

-No, just a smidgen.

-Yeah, stop.

Ten minutes, please! Ten minutes.

Well, now we just need to marinade it.

Is that enough juice, do you think?

There's a lot of juice now, huh?

Salt, done. Pour off,

in pan, cover with vinegar.

Vinegar, not oil.

I think Gary, instead of putting vinegar in the pan, put oil in,

so a quick bit of washing up, we're away.

It's really nice. You can really taste it.

More lemon juice?

Maybe a bit more.

A bit more salt or is it OK? Enough?

Yeah, go on.

One minute left!

Is everyone finished?

Time's up!

Gosh, that was tough.

We were a little stressed in there.

It's quite difficult to make something like that

up against a time limit.

It wasn't too stressful, it was focused.

Yeah, once we knew we were on track, that was it.

It was fine. We're sorted.

To be awarded Best In Show,

the sauce should have no separation and

a smooth consistency, and should be free from seeds, pips,

skins and hard spices.

The relish should be attractive,

with evenly chopped ingredients and a balance of flavours.

First up is Sally and Michelle, with their tomato-based

Bottom Smacking Sauce

and a Chillatillo Relish.

Bottom Smacking Sauce.

-Yes.

-Basically, tomato ketchup.

-Yes.

Nice texture. It looks nice and smooth.

It's a little bland, I'm afraid.

It doesn't excite me.

Next up is your relish.

And this is a chilli relish?

Chilli and tomatillo, yeah.

I'm afraid it's not for me.

-I think it's just a little bit harsh and I'm looking for balance.

-OK.

Alex and Ed have made a smoky beetroot sauce

and a fennel relish.

Right, now then...

So, let's taste it now.

It's a lovely colour.

Did you put quite a lot of salt in this?

-Two pinches.

-I think it's really quite salty,

but I can't taste the beetroot

because there's a lot of vinegar and a lot of salt.

So we've lost all that lovely, sweet fruitiness.

Now, then, let's have a look at this one.

Actually, this is really nice.

Oh, good, thank you!

This has a really good, rich flavour.

Shirley and Victoria are presenting a tomato sauce

and a tomato and basil relish.

More bottom smacking.

-Ooh.

-That's nice.

Now, I'm happy with that, it looks good, it's a nice texture.

I mean, a very good effort, I think.

We know that you are twice Grow challenge winners.

So I think it's without a doubt you can grow the vegetables.

I would like to see you being a little bit more experimental

with your flavouring.

Next up is Jo and Avril's tomato and coriander sauce

and a ratatouille-style relish.

This is a ratatouille relish.

You've used a lot of different vegetables from your plot here.

I quite like that idea,

that you're showcasing a lot of the different things that you've grown.

Because, in the summer, we all get a glut, don't we?

And that's the perfect time to make a relish or sauce like this.

It's nice, it's crunchy, but it's not too hard.

The aubergine is properly cooked.

I think it's a little oversweet for me.

And it's a little one-dimensional.

Gary and Pete mixed up the labels for their Caballero Salsa and

hot green pepper sauce.

Well, the relish is on the sauce and sauce is on the relish.

I'm going to start with the sauce, which is labelled relish.

-Perhaps a little thick.

-A little thick.

Oh, this is really eye-wateringly hot.

LAUGHTER

Do you need a moment?

I think I need more than one moment.

It is extremely hot.

Caballero Salsa. And this is a dipping salsa, is it?

-It is.

-OK. That looks lovely.

Really lovely, OK.

This is very nice.

It is a bit sharp, but I think the flavours are very good.

Edd and Harshani have created a tangy barbecue sauce

and a ruby onion relish.

This is Edd's ruby onion relish.

Now, it's strange, cos I thought this was going to be really punchy

and it's very, very mild.

I think I want a bit more impact.

It's a beautiful jar,

if someone gave me that I would be getting very, very excited.

I might look a bit disappointed when I tasted it.

Next to be judged is Kate and Eleanor's

Creme Fresh sauce and radish relish.

Now, the school teacher's relish.

And we're just going to spoon some out.

Yes, a nice minute chop here.

Mm, this is nice.

It's crunchy, but the other thing that

I really like is the surprise special ingredient.

Every so often, you crunch on a nasturtium seed.

That's nicely done.

Finally, Rupert and Dimi have produced a sweet chilli sauce,

and a beetroot relish.

There's a lovely look to this sauce.

-You have tomatoes in here?

-Yes, just a few.

And you have three different sorts of chilli?

-That's right.

-Right, I'm going to be careful with this one.

Yes, that's very nice.

It's not that hot.

That's a nice tingle.

Now, this very pretty little jar here

of Mum's Beetroot Relish.

What I particularly like about this relish

is I can taste that it's made of beetroot.

Now, I know that seems silly, but the object of the exercise is to

take something really well grown

and that you're proud of in your plot

and create something you're proud of in the Eat challenge.

'Now that Thane has tasted all the sauces and relishes, she must

'decide who will get Best In Show.'

This week, it was very obvious to me that there is one clear winner.

With an outstanding sauce

and an outstanding relish,

winner of the sauce and relish

are Rupert and Dimi.

APPLAUSE

Now, Thane and Jim and Jonathan have got to discuss everything

that you've presented to them

and make the difficult decision as to who is going home.

Would you all please go back to your allotments?

Best In Show - it's gone well, hasn't it?

You can't complain about that. Good, we've done well.

It felt really good last week to get a Best In Show

and it's felt rubbish this week.

-We've gone through the mill today, haven't we?

-Hmm.

Don't make me cry.

No, well, I nearly am, so... It's fine.

I think I would really like to stay in this week.

It's important for us, because we've put so much effort into it.

Somebody's got to go, but I'd rather it was somebody else than us.

Let's talk about Alex and Ed.

I was disappointed with the beans

and they were quite tough.

But they pulled it back with their rose.

I think there's great teamwork between them

and a real passion for what they're doing.

Sadly, a bit of a decline this week,

and it was colours, really,

rather than components that I have an issue with there.

But the other people maybe to discuss are Edd and Harshani.

Actually, the Eat challenges have really been quite poor for them.

They haven't quite performed and I'm quite surprised.

This week, the sauce was OK,

but his port and red onion relish just wasn't outstanding. No.

-But on the other hand, the rose was good.

-Yeah.

Let's talk about Sally and Michelle.

What I see with them is sparkle and I see potential.

I think what I'd like to see is

whether or not they continue to improve.

Actually, the creation of the wreath was OK,

I just didn't think it worked.

They need to think a bit more deeper.

I do think there's creativity there,

but I don't think they know how to put it into practice.

It's a difficult decision, good luck.

'Due to Michelle's allergic reaction, she had to leave the

'allotment before the experts' decision was announced.'

Thank you for everything you've done this week.

Unfortunately, one team of gardeners will be going tonight.

Our experts have had a long deliberation

and the team they are sending home tonight is...

..Edd and Harshani.

SHE MOUTHS

I think everyone will be proud. I mean, I'm proud of what

I've done, of what we've done, what we've achieved.

Going from a blank piece of land to where we are now.

Loved every minute of it.

We're really proud of what we've done, so...

-No regrets.

-No.

Obviously, people are glad it wasn't them going home,

but they'll miss Edd and Harshani.

It's become a big family out there. 16 weeks and they've really bonded.

-JONATHAN:

-All our other gardeners will be feeling really nervous.

Each time somebody goes, it's the stark reality of what this is.

It's a competition and each week we're going to lose someone.

'Next time on The Big Allotment Challenge,

'Michelle is back and fighting fit.

'And the allotmenteers will be bringing their carrots...'

-Wowzer!

-Hey!

Oh, it's a bit hairy, that one.

Do you think he's going to have a ruler when he's judging it?

'..gladioli...'

It is a disaster.

No, look, we have to think positive. Make this work.

'..and chutneys will be dissected on the show bench.'

It's not pushing any boundaries.

'Who will be Best In Show?'