Giant onions 2016

Mine have stopped growing completely, no growth for the last 3 weeks so I've pulled 3 of the 4
up to dry out ready for some of the early shows.

Largest measured at 22" circumference (gutte. The only scales I had for weighing were my kitchen scales but it bottomed them out at 5lb. So I know it weighed at least 5lb (2.25kg) but not sure how much more. I would estimate not much more than that to be honest.

Bit disappointed about the final reslt considering how well they were going but lessons learned for next year and can hopefully improve on these.

 

Could have been a lot worse Ash

5lb is brill

 

Cheers Zigs, I was hoping for as close to double figures as possible but a few things halted their growth. Firstly they got a massive infestation of either spider mites or thrip. By the time I realised how bad it was I had no option but to spray the leaves with insecticide - and after spraying their growth pretty much halted and stopped sending new leaves out. I've since found out that you can get something called 'Predators' which is like a sachet of beneficial insects that feed on thrip which you hang from the leaves and leave them to mop up the pests. And also spraying with Neem Oil keeps on top of the spider mites. That will hoepfully resolve that situation next year.

Also a lot of the top growers claim that they do not feed their onions and just use a good quality high nutrient compost? I've fed mine fortnightly but next year i plan to feed only half of them so that i can compare results.

I've kept a diary of the full growing methods and timings of everything so if anyone is interested drop me a message and ill be happy to pass on this info.

 

I'd be nervous about feeding mine, it can make them bolt, so good growing medium to start with is a better way

 

Some of my kelsae onions leaves are pretty much dead so I will pull up those onions. When the last one comes out, I will measure it as I think it will be the biggest. Certainly not a contest winner but good eats!

 

Ash 25 thinks he's done badly! I reckon mine will weigh in at about a 10th of what his weigh. All's not lost they'll get chopped up and make a nice pot of mince. Never thought for 1 minute I'd compete with you lot and was proved right. Undaunted I will try again next year with no doubt similar results!

 

Not much more Kelsing going on at this end...

 

Pulled my last, biggest one. It was 11.5" in girth and weighed 18.05 oz.

Certainly not a winner but YUM!!!

 

Cor

Nice one John

 

Finished up at just shy of 5.5lb. Took it to my local show...and some guy comes and drops 4 onions in all weighing over 7lb, didnt get a look in, they made mine look tiny lol.

On a side note only a few days after the local show, every onion i grew started to rot. Starting from the root area and worked completely through the onions within days. Not sure if this was down to what I had fed them whilst bulbing, or the compost, or the fact they had been growing a lot longer of a season than usual but they definitely did not like something.

On another side note I mopped up with my other entries, 1st, 2nd and 3rd for my potaoes, 1st for my carrots, 1st and 2nd for my parsnips, 3rd for my cherry toms, and 3rd for a tray of 6 veg. Funny thing is I didnt get anything for the things I put the most effort and money into...onions lol..go figure.

 

Haven't lifted mine yet (smaller ones from sets I lifted about a month ago), necks just going over but can see I will not be troubling the "judges". That's a cracker @JWK. A few of mine are about the size of your 1 immediately below your whooopa, reasonable but no red rosette. I was pleased/surprised at just how much growth mine put on over the last month. We have had mostly really warm weather and the odd heavy shower which seems to have suited perfectly.
Hopefully next year I might challenge you JWK but doubt very much i'll even come close. Think you will be the winner, well done.