2013 Onion Growing Challenge

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Freddy, Oct 7, 2012.

  1. Freddy

    Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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    Oh, btw, is that the one that we suspected had 'Bull Neck'?
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Yes they are in good condition, all seem firm. As I said 2 or 3 have slug nibbles at the base so we'll eat those first. I feel we are going to have to make a massive batch of onion soup.

    I harvested my normal onion sets a few weeks ago and they haven't dried very well, I've already had to throw away some due to slugs getting at them. So today put all of them, including the Kelsae, into a couple of blow-away mini-greenhouses in an attempt to keep them dry and off the ground:

    20130921-IMG_8587.jpg
     
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      No, the one that we suspected had 'Bull Neck' was a fraction smaller but still in good condition. I don't think they were bull-necked in retrospect, once they started to bulb up they all took on a nice shape.
       
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      • Phil A

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        Aah, the "using a small child to make the onion look bigger trick."

        Good thinking :snork:;)
         
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        • Freddy

          Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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          Hiya John. I assume that all the ones on the right are all from sets? They look a decent size from what I can tell. I always used to do a mix of sets and seed grown, but last years sets were pathetic, some of them being no bigger than golf balls. I will only grow from seed from now on, including lots of Long Red Florence. I will probably grow more Kelsae, but only a few, and I won't be going to all the trouble of trying to grow whoppers, at least, not in the way we have done this year. Anyway John, well done:blue thumb:
           
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          • JWK

            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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            He he Zigs, I've been rumbled :) I tried to get the even smaller two year old g.daughter for better effect but she was frightened by it :heehee:
             
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            • Phil A

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              Joking aside, fantastic result John :dbgrtmb:
               
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              • JWK

                JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                Yes that's correct Freddy, the ones on the right are from sets, we have already eaten quite a few of them and the remainder are the bigger ones I hope will store over winter. The red skinned (Red Baron) ones have been very poor this year, small and trying to bolt. I want to try Long Red Florence from seed next year instead.
                 
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                • Freddy

                  Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                  Hiya John.
                  On the face of it, I can recommend LRF. As I haven't grown them before, I don't know how well they will store, but I get the impression that they should store well, given that they are so solid. I'll put up a pic of one cut open, so you can judge for yourself.
                   
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                  • JWK

                    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                    Thanks Freddy, that would be useful.
                     
                  • Scrungee

                    Scrungee Well known for it

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                    WOW - check your scales - DO NOT eat that onion! It sounds like a new World Record - take it to Malvern Autumn Show next weekend!



                    @JWK There's 2 parts to this competition, seed sown and set planted, so what's the weight of your heaviest onion from sets?
                     
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                    • JWK

                      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                      ermmm I meant circumference :heehee:


                      Ah I'd forgotten about that, I will go and weigh them in the next day or so.
                       
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                      • Lolimac

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                        :hate-shocked: Don't do that John.....Blimey .....i nearly passed out then:heehee:
                         
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                        • JWK

                          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                          I made a massive batch of onion and tomato soup on sunday, all in the freezer now. The taste has improved on these Kelsae now, quite fiery :blue thumb:
                           
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                          • HsuH

                            HsuH Super Gardener

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                            I am not in the onion growing competition, but I have a question:
                            in the competition rules I see nothing about the twin onion situation like the one I've got here.
                            My onions were grown from seeds so at first I thought they might be from 2 seeds, even though I was sure each seedling was transplanted singly, still I checked this pair and they are definitely connected at the lower region. So should a connected pair be counted as a single onion for purpose of the competition?

                            P1080452a.jpg
                             
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