2013 Onion Growing Challenge

Nice one Carol

 

Hate you Loli!

The stakes have been raised even higher..... My Kelsaes (which don't keep ahem), that should have lasted me until March, April are now on their final reserves, ..........

The Daughter has gone veggie and using all my stored produce, prefers my big Kelsaes because they don't make her cry prepping, unlike my other onions.

I wish she'd saved some for me?

Looking good for the weekend down here, more onion beds on the menu down here on the allotment.

 

Hows the Ducks getting on Vince

 

The ducks are fattening up nicely, they won't be ready for Christmas though!

 

In addition to a bed, I'm going to grow some in big pots to avoid to white rot that seems to be getting everywhere and inspired by pics like this as I can shift them from heated greenhouse to unheated polytunnel:



I've already got three 42 litre flexi-tubs, and as they qualify for 'double up' of Tesco Clubcard Points (they're classed as home storage rather than gardening) I'm thinking of getting another 9, by buying three packs of 3 @ £7.99 per pack, using a £2 off £20 spend voucher, and only having to shell out £1.49 in cash to get them http://www.tesco.com/direct/42l-fle...kuId=211-3536&pageLevel=sku&_requestid=299020

These must surely be cheaper than comparable sized pots, and it will allow some really early plants to be started that would otherwise be desperate for planting out when it would be far too early to put them in beds either in open ground or an unheated polytunnel, especially if we get the jetstream giving us rubbish weather again.

 

Found some interesting info at http://keithfoster.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/peter-glazebrook-update/:

Cor, that's the one I've just bought! - but I got mine £50 cheaper from http://www.3ch.co.uk/grow-lights/fluorescent-grow-lights/t5-8-tube-long/prod_829.html

 

Nice one Scrungee

 

I'd love one of those Scrungee, but there are no 3ch shops near me in Cumbria....and they dont deliver these units.

I guess it makes sense really with all those tubes.

Steve...

 

Unless Shadow (my pregnant bitch) has 20+ puppies, there's no way I can justify investing in artificial lighting.

My garden onion bed is all but sorted but the allotment bed is still work in progress.

I'm relying on my past experience to give me a fighting chance, unfortunately, 2014 seed will have to be bought in...... My daughter found my prized Kelsae I was going to use for seed production and promptly ate most of it!

Good luck everyone, should be an interesting challenge.

 

Oh dear, now I feel guilty

Ordered my lighting today

 

Don't feel guilty Freddy, you'll only be about 3 weeks ahead of me with your lighting...... had you got it in October, I would have been worried!

 

Onion beds all done and dusted, well they were before I decided to grow even more, back up the allotment tomorrow shovelling @*$" (manure)

 

Hiya John.

No, you're not falling behind, but you'll need to get hold of some seed sometime soon, if you want to do the 'traditional' thing by sowing on Boxing Day. I think maybe one or two may have sown already. This will obviously give them a head-start, but the downside (imo) is that the plants will have to be nurtured for longer during the cold/dark months. If you plan to grow Kelsae, I know some garden centres keep them in stock

Cheers...Freddy

 

I 'm waiting for Boxing day...i've a few MAHOOSIVE Mammoth Improved I could send you John if you wanted to get started ....just give me a shout