2013 Onion Growing Challenge

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

  1. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    You use the Comfrey to make a liquid feed Allan, smells lovely :)
     
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    • Jenny namaste

      Jenny namaste Total Gardener

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      FIBBER
       
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      • Vince

        Vince Not so well known for it.

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        You manure onion beds in Autumn and let winter work its wonder, plant sets on a freshly manured bed and they'll probably "run to seed" late spring/early summer next year. Growing from "sets", I'd leave well alone Allan,

        Comfrey is the cheapest, most efficient "natural" plant food... you harvest the leaves, leave to ferment in water for a few weeks, dilute the resulting "tea" or in my case "soup" 10:1 and feed your plants! Great for just about everything!
         
      • Phil A

        Phil A Guest

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        Its all subjective Jenny :) Seem to recall you don't like hanging out in Fish Mongers either :biggrin:
         
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        • Allan Hodgson

          Allan Hodgson Gardener

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          that's brilliant thanks guys. think ill use one of my containers to grow my comfrey and other herbs and ill use mainly seeds for the onions. like I say I've already got some sets on order so ill plant some just to see what happens with them.
           
        • Freddy

          Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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          Hiya chums:)

          Mine seem to be taking ages for the tops to die down, so I think I'll dig them all up this weekend.
           
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          • Vince

            Vince Not so well known for it.

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            Please don't Freddy, be patient my friend, you could add an extra ounce or two and "curing" will be that much easier!
             
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            • Allan Hodgson

              Allan Hodgson Gardener

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              my onion sets arrived today. they are the autumn planting ones. is it a bit early to be planting them at the minute? id take a guess that I need to wait until the nights get cooler, so im thinking plant them around November ish?
               
            • Freddy

              Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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              Hiya @Vince

              I'm a bit concerned about this wet spell? Also, maybe frosts aren't that far off?
               
            • Freddy

              Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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              I'm thinking mid October?
               
            • Vince

              Vince Not so well known for it.

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              Give it another few weeks Freddy, that's what I'm doing with my remaining two, onions can take a slight frost but it's very unlikely you'll get one in the very near future in your neck of the woods?

              If you do? pull and eat! :)
               
            • Freddy

              Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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              Hiya @Vince

              As I live out of town, frosts always come early here. I recorded an outside temp of 6c recently. What I think I'll do is pull all the smaller ones, just leaving two or three of the biggest ones. I also need to pull the Onions in my 'regular' bed, including those rather nice Long Red Florence:blue thumb: Btw, I managed to pick up a pack of LRF seed for 50p, the last pack too!

              Cheers...Freddy
               
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              • JWK

                JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                I decided to harvest all mine today, to give them a chance to dry/cure so I can store them over winter. I'm glad I did as a few had some slug damage at the base. I'm pretty pleased at getting just over 25 kg from 15 plants, a few are around the 2 kg mark, this is the best one:

                20130921-IMG_8598.jpg

                20130921-IMG_8591.jpg

                21" 20.5" circumference, weighing in at 2.025 kg (4lb 7oz)

                JWK edited 23rd Sept - corrected circumference after trimming.
                 
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                • Lolimac

                  Lolimac Guest

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                  Smashing John...you've done well there...great pics:dbgrtmb:
                   
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                  • Freddy

                    Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                    Excellent John:dbgrtmb: Are they all in ok condition? A few of mine are looking a bit...soft:frown: I'm going to lift the remainder of mine pretty soon.
                     
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