Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Vacant Winter Earth

Collapse

X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Vacant Winter Earth

    As the potatoes and onions come up, and I see vacant earth forming, it occurs to me that I hadn't prepared seedlings for the winter. So, I toddled out to a garden centre and bought some cabbage and radish seeds (the latter may well be joined by more when I decide how much I enjoy radish relish).

    One thought, other list-members have insisted I can grow onions as far north as Caithness, and I do know someone gardeners who've had moderate success. But, there are no onion sets available oop here.

    Can they be purchased on mail-order?

  • #2
    I spotted onion sets in Wilkinson's the other day - the first I have seen this year so far. Do you have a store near you? (might be worth adding your location to your profile)
    Happy Gardening,
    Shirley

    Comment


    • #3
      Done! I'm in Thurso, but I don't think there are any Wilkinsons in Scotland.

      Comment


      • #4
        Ah, I think I have read that there are none up there.

        Here's a link to their store finder - maybe you can buy online?

        Store Locator at Wilkinson Plus
        Happy Gardening,
        Shirley

        Comment


        • #5
          Nearly all of the online retailers will sell onion sets for Autumn planting. Kings, D.T.Brown, Garden Organic, Marshalls, Suttons, Tuckers all have selections. Radar might be your best bet as they are very hardy.
          History teaches us that history teaches us nothing. - Hegel

          Comment


          • #6
            Or even........your local garden centre..............if the jap sets aren't in ask them when they are arriving.

            PS Not a big fan of Wilco's onion sets anyway!
            My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
            to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

            Diversify & prosper


            Comment


            • #7
              There's plenty to be had on eBay
              onion sets, Plants Seeds Bulbs, garlic items at low prices on eBay.co.uk
              All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by General Woundwort View Post
                I toddled out to a garden centre and bought some cabbage and radish seeds
                I can only grow radish from an October sowing (conditions are too dry otherwise).

                A green manure will cover your bare soil, if nothing else appeals. Limnanthes is my favourite, followed by phacelia, having tried almost all the traditional green manures.
                Last edited by Two_Sheds; 26-08-2009, 07:35 AM.
                All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Two Sheds, do I take it you're right on the coast with sandy earth? The Zimbabwean-style land-reclaimation I'm preforming is a pocket of wonderful, rich earth... I've noticed already that after just a half hour in the August sun, it's nice and warm whereas my main garden remains cold and wet for hours.

                  Green manure is certainly an idea, as is garlic. The local garden centres don't even have seedlings for winter veg, so if sets ain't too expensive online, I'll give it a bash and maybe get little onions even if the main crop fails. Could green manure be grown around onions?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by General Woundwort View Post
                    Two Sheds, do I take it you're right on the coast with sandy earth? ...Could green manure be grown around onions?
                    yes, and yes-I-should-think-so
                    All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Ii thought onions didn't like competition and you needed to keep onion beds weed free? wouldn't the green manure be a bit like weeds around the onions?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        That's what I thought, SMS.

                        However, I got the best-ever crop of shallots this year (because I didn't weed them?). Because of my bike crash I couldn't get to the plot for a few months, and the shallots were completely covered in weeds, I had to hack it all down to get to them.
                        All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Sewer Rat would be your man for advice round your neck of the woods,he's a professional.I find once the sun sets for the winter nothing grows till spring anyway,plus when the sea freezes over the pesky Polar Bears dig all the onions up !!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Ta', I've PM'd him.

                            Any polar bears which tried to snatch my onions would find a troop of panserbjorn set on them.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by burnie View Post
                              Sewer Rat would be your man for advice round your neck of the woods,he's a professional.I find once the sun sets for the winter nothing grows till spring anyway,plus when the sea freezes over the pesky Polar Bears dig all the onions up !!

                              And what they don't get, the glaciers do...

                              Comment

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              Working...
                              X