The annual competition, organised by Bathurst East Rotary Club, encourages the city’s green thumbs to get growing to raise funds for the cancer care cottage.

Club member Robin Price is behind the event and said $500 was raised thanks to entry donations to take part.

This was matched dollar-for-dollar by the club, for a total donation of $1000 to Daffodil Cottage.

“When you tell them you’re having a tomato growing competition they say ‘OK yeah’, but when you say it’s for Daffodil Cottage they’re keen to enter,” he said.

“Daffodil Cottage is Bathust’s favourite charity.

“Just about everyone in Bathurst has had contact with Daffodil Cottage somehow.”

Daffodil Cottage fundraising co-ordinator Jane Rawlings said the funds will be used to support palliative care nurses as they visit patients in their home.

Usually the nurses will take notes at each person’s house and then come back to the cottage where the notes are typed up on a computer.

“We’ll look at purchasing laptops to take with them to the patients house,” she said.

Mrs Rawlings said the laptops will save time and also allow nurses to access patient history “then and there” during each visit.

Mr Price said this year’s total was a record and beat last year’s effort of $700.