Pickled Pink

On the Shallot front I have had mixed results I lifted them while they were still throwing out shoots and placed them in trays covering the leaves but the dam things kept growing and some have gone double good job I don't need any for Harrogate. On the pickling shallot side of things the results have been better I have managed to get a set of 12 for my local shows,and as it is my first proper attempt at picklers I am quite pleased.

Vento Onions are continuing to be harvested I now have 5 wrapped in newspaper ripening the last one was lifted at a definite 10.5"  and is very near the target weight

I bit the bullet and lifted the first of my quality onions to get an idea of the weight as my target is as near to 1.5 kilos as I can get I need a set of 5 for Harrogate.The onion I lifted measured 17.5" and weighed 1200 grammes which means that Dans formula is a pile of S***E he now reckons that 18.5" will be the target size I am not sure what to do now as I can probably match 5  now but they would be a bit lighter than I would like on the other hand if I do get them up now there is less risk of anything going wrong.

I sent a message to Smithy and he reckons I should leave them another couple of weeks and get bigger onions 

I also stripped back on of my Giant onions which is nowhere as big as the others and was pleasantly surprised at the shape and quality this will hopefully be the one I use on my 6x1 collection at Harrogate it tapes at 20" which means it should weigh just a bit under 5lb  so in an other week or so I should have a decent sized and shaped onion 

Celery just needs to bulk up now as nearly all have 18" collars 

On the Leek front I spoke to Dave Metcalfe and he reckons it could be down to too much water early on as of now no more have gone to seed he also said I will get some grass from them this year and there will be no problems  with the plants they produce as long as I look after them properly that is.I asked him about the seed from them and as they are a hybrid they would not be true to the strain so that is a non starter