This Weekend I have made great progress All my Quality Onions are now in their final positions I planted 30 in total at 14" centres. Ideally they should be at 18" centres but due to space I have gone for 14".I also looked back at Dans blog from the year he grew his best ones and he spaced them at 12" so I reckon I should be OK. I am a little concerned they are a bit long in the neck but we will have to see what happens.
The tunnel has frost protection so they should be fine.They have been watered in using Bio Magic to give them a boost.
I also planted out 60 Shallots also at 14" centres in double rows with 2 foot between each the bed was dressed with bone meal and tev 4 before planting I did this a week ago
the remaining Parsnip seeds that had chitted but I did not need for the drums were put in to toilet roll tubes on my return from working in Aberdeen most had germinated and the root was already at the bottom of the tubes so I hastily bored some holes in one of the beds outside, these were filled with leftover Parsnip mix and the Parsnips duly planted these will be destined for the table. Interesting concept Mr Smith, yes we actually eat veg as well as show it.
The biggest Onion for size has also now been planted in to its final position in the tunnel, it looks in good order and I have another 3 not far behind I let Dan have the rest so 10lb may be on the cards for one of us this year.
First lot of Parsnips have all germinated in the drums but no sign of the carrots yet.
Another trial is something I heard on local radio, Joe Maiden who has a couple of gardening shows each week on radio Leeds,suggested using leftover Onion setts and planting them in a pot as close together as you can the idea is that you use some for spring Onions and as you thin them you get bigger salad Onions finishing up with a few larger ones, worth a try.
The Leeks are moving on nicely they are now over 2 foot tall with a 12" blanch I will be planting them in to the bed in the next couple of weeks as I need to build something to support the flags first.
The first lot of Celery are now coming on nicely as are the Giant Cabbages
You've been cracking on and those onions look good!
ReplyDeleteLooks like starting off your onions has really paid off. Everything looks great!
ReplyDeletePaul, That's really impressive. The onions look fantastic. Mine looked poorly so I took some advice and went to re-pot back down into smaller pots in some M2 mixed with John Innes no.3
ReplyDeleteWhen I pulled them out the pot, I found the roots were no bigger than when I potted them up
I am definitely not an onion grower
Thanks for all your comments there is a long way to go yet though.
ReplyDeleteIt aint what they look like now it's what they look like on the 15th September in Harrogate!
ReplyDeleteSimon as long as they look better than yours it will do for me, what are yours looking like at the moment?
ReplyDeleteI bet they're 6" taller than him but not quite as thick.....
ReplyDeleteYou nare right there Dan sorry I mean anaon
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