Grow Your Own Magazine

hi
i read that "newly planted onion sets are often pulled out by birds in search of food, by trimming off the samll dry tips before planting, this problem can be solved." Does any one know if this is true - has any one done it - to what success. how much do you cut off?
thanks for all replys

It is true they mistake the tops for worms I guess. What you have to be careful of is that you dont cut the growing tip off as well. I tend to just trim them back a bit but leave some on the end to give the shoot a bit of protection from the worst of the weather - don't know if it does, but I feel better!

You can always put some wire netting over them or some brushwood like for peas.

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

great - what is brushwood? Also do you still leave the tips out of the earth or do you bury them?

Leave them out taylorej, as for brushwood, i guess its trimmings from brambles or small branches just to put over the onions to stop the birds from landing and pulling the sets out.

Don't cut anything and simply push them back in if disturbed and put a string aroung your plot lamanate som paper put a hole in and string up as to scare the birds
: Happy Planting :

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Can anyone suggest where I might get onion sets to plant now? My local garden centre did have some but when I went to buy them they had sold out.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Try www.kingsseeds.com I think they sell them

Organic seed catalogue (HDRA as was) sell them as well.

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Thanks folks, will check online when I get home from work. Just remembered I need to buy some garlic to plant too so will will sort them out at the same time.

__________________
Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I am a Novice at growing vegetables--When is the latest I could put onion sets in and what variety would you suggest I buy?
I have a few leeks planted out which seem to be growing alright but I would like to try onions aswell.

Kathie, The latest you can put onions in is Setember really.

I reccomend sown onions from seed and the most successful Variety is Toughball. It really stands up to the UK winter well, and has very few bacterial issues towards maturity unlike some of the set onion varieties. The best onion grown from sets is a variety called Shakespeare, I have just given up on the Senshyu & Radar sets, quality of the planting stock is usually hopeless.
However most of these are not really avalible.