Onions!

[the big lebowski]

hi all,my onions are the only thing that are doing really well this year i planted them at the end of nov and they are loving the wet soil (so am i saves watering everyday ) ,a few have started bolting so i`ll soon be able to dig them up ,they are the size of cricket balls ,i`ll try and get some pics for you all this weekend ,cheers

[bario1]

I gave my onions and garlic a final comfrey tea feed this morning.

[vixylix]

Bario! Did you tell them it was their last one? I hope they enjoyed it

[bario1]

Of course I didn't tell them, Vixylix - I don't want to frighten any more into bolting!

[Mark_Riga]

Onions need watching carefully now if there is any chance of mouldy nose otherwise knows as white rot. It is the dreadedest of onion diseases and tends to strike as the onions bulbs swell and ripen (bulb up). It can last in the soil for a very long time.

It is 10+ years since I have grown onions in the spot I did this year and about 1/3 of the crop of Autumn planted sets was still affected this year. I was expecting it in a way and as soon as I noticed (pulling on the onion required little effort for the onion to come loose. some just had no root while others had the characteristic cotton wool type fungus) I harvested the whole crop. This was about 2 weeks ago. The attachment is a picture of the onions that had been affected after being left to dry in the conservatory as shown - catching it early and drying quickly seems to have arrested the spread in these but the waste off them will be going in the bin, not the compost heap. If there had only been a few, I would have just dug out a good pocket of earth from where they were and disposed of it (Robert Milne in 'Organic Vegetable Growing' suggests keeping it till you have a bonfire). As there were a lot infected, I harvested the whole crop early and turned over the plot straight away, the thought being that it was early in the fungus cycle and breaking up the soil would disrupt the strands of fungus hopefully minimising the number of new spores being produced. I'll try autumn planted sets there again in 2 years may be to see if the infection rate is less. I would not risk spring planed sets as they need to be in the ground that much later in the year and seed sown later still. The rest have been hung up till these are used up. My main spring sets are planted elsewhere.

[Martin H]

There's a theory that you should water the plot with a liquid made from ground-up garlic cloves during the years that you're not growing alliums. This is supposed to trigger the dormant white rot fungus into growth but then, because there are no onions for them to grow on, they expire and die. Thus clearing the ground of the fungus.

There's a thread on here somewhere.

Meanwhile you've reminded me I was going to try this solution this year because I had a bit of white rot last year. I'd better get on it!

[Ryez]

I planted some of my onion sets in small pots in March and then transplanted them in a small bed. I have pulled a couple and they haven't formed bulbs yet... maybe cause I transplanted them? Otherwise they are looking fine. The Spring onions, although I transplanted them too look ok, but need to form more bulb too.



I also planted some onions directly into long pots, these seem to be forming bulbs. In general though because of the wet weather they seem to be falling down... Looking a bit messy!



At least now I know everybody's seem to be at about the same stage. Just don't know if my transplanted onions will form bulbs or will end up using them as big spring onions!

[Mark_Riga]

There's a theory that you should water the plot with a liquid made from ground-up garlic cloves during the years that you're not growing alliums. This is supposed to trigger the dormant white rot fungus into growth but then, because there are no onions for them to grow on, they expire and die. Thus clearing the ground of the fungus.

My modification of this theory was to plant sets in Autumn and keep a close eye on them when the soil warmed up. As most of the onions have been salvaged and are not rotting (I had to bin 2), a lot of the infection may have expired in the same way. I'll find out in a couple of years may be.

[SusieG]

Ryez, I'm no expert ... but your onions look like they're doing fine!
It's normal for them to 'fall down' a bit ...
Have some patience with yours, keep them fed and watered, leave them for several weeks, and I think you might be pleasantly surprised!

I don't think transplanting them should've hurt, that's what I did with my onion sets, and they're doing really well now! A week or so and they'll be out of the ground!

[Ryez]

Thank you Susie, good to know they are just taking their time! Post some pics when you pull them out, really want to see how they'll fair!

[SusieG]

Will do Ryez ~ I'm really looking forward to finally pulling up my onions - hope they don't disappoint ...!!!

[SusieG]

A Quick Onion Update.......

. So, they're STILL in the ground, itching to pull them, BUT, the green tops are still a very healthy-looking green and am waiting (impatiently!) for them to turn brown.....

We go away next Saturday for a week ~ so can I still leave them in the ground until my return the following week ~ it'll be the first week of August .....??

Thanks!

[SusieG]

. So, they're STILL in the ground, itching to pull them, BUT, the green tops are still a very healthy-looking green and am waiting (impatiently!) for them to turn brown.....

We go away next Saturday for a week ~ so can I still leave them in the ground until my return the following week ~ it'll be the first week of August .....??

Thanks!

Anyone...............................?

[Containergardener]

Il reply then Leave them in , they'll be fine .

[Bigmallly]

Leave 'em, enjoy your holiday & leave them some more..................