There can be little doubting that they have been subjected to the required low temperatures in order to form cloves.
This was a welcome surprise as I ventured into the greenhouse with some trepidation. All our onions were stored on the wooden slatted benching which in the past has worked fine. That was in the past though and our onions had never before been subjected to such low temperatures and for so long a period. (Come to think of it I don't think I have either!) Although we had some onions in various states of rotteness (is that a word?) many were still firm but I decided to try and prevent any further loses by moving them into our pantry and porch.
Potatoes have been stored successfully in the garage for years but this year's conditions gave cause for concern. Martyn is sorting through the potatoes and although some have gone a bit soft presumably due to having been frozen many seem to be still firm. The freezng conditions have caused some tubers to be a little sweet. As for parsnips the frost changes some of the starch to sugar but this isn't unpleasant. Time will tell whether the tubers will keep in storage as long as normal.As Martyn posted on his blog here the Crown Prince squash have been affected to various degrees - in previous years these squash have even kept outdoors with just the protection of a porch roof.
I just wonder what other havoc this winter will manage to wreak before we see the end of it? How many of our garden plants will see it through and what about my poor little cyclamen?
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I'm sure the garden centres and nurseries will be coining it in come spring when everyone is replacing what they've lost. I bet there'll be many casualties this year.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a good stash there. I'm down to the last couple of pumpkins, a few squash, half a sack of spuds and some shallots. I feel a soup coming on!
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for my outdoor garlic to shoot yet :( sobs...
ReplyDeleteI bet they will Jo just like those that sell beddings plants early so you will plant them out and they will die and you will need to go back and buy more.
ReplyDeleteWe usually manage to almost get by with onions and only need to buy early new potatoes but this year we could run out early
Never mind Craig your tomatoes will soon be up!
My onions are fine but I will be blogging about my potatoes later so maybe you can give me some tips. Yours look great and I am very envious!!!
ReplyDeleteI planted my garlic straight into the ground and it started sprouting a while ago....it has survived the weather too and still looks healthy!
Hi Tanya,
ReplyDeleteOur potato sowing methods is decsribed on our website here It seems to work for us and isn't as hard work as digging trenches etc.
My garlic is doing just the same< I'm pleased to say. I'd just about given up on it. No sign of life from the autumn-planted shallots yet though
ReplyDeleteI'd given up too Woody and was going to plant some more. We didn't plant autumn shallots but popped in some onions which had begun to grow before the snow - haven't checked on them since the thaw!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely trying some garlic next year. Hope your crops will be better in the new place.
ReplyDeleteYou still have many supply of onions and potatoes and spring is not that far away. The green shoots must be so welcome when everything is under the white carpet outdoors.
ReplyDeleteBoth onions and potatoes are looking great! I'm keeping my onions on the balcony (warped up in newspaper), so they did suffer a few freezes, but it doesn't seem to do them any harm. They have become a bit sweeter. Unfortunately, I did not grow many onions, so I will have to start buying them soon.
ReplyDeleteSpring seems miles away Diana but the white carpet has now gone - at least for now as it may well be back!
ReplyDeleteHi Vrtlarica, I think it was damp that affected them mostly as we have had high hunidity levels
At least the onions should stay dry Fer!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sending me the links to the photos of your beautiful Buddleias - I'm very jealous now, If I visit Yorkshire this year I'm coming round to your allotment with a pair of secateurs!
ReplyDeleteI visited my local garden centre yesterday. I was amazed to see them attempting to sell all sorts of plants that had been well and truly frosted - limp, black, DEAD!
You'll be most welcome Mark and we can even lend you some secateurs.
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed that some people actually by the dead plants!
you have managed impressively well! oh new green shoots are a joy to see. we're in a pickle with our lottie - so much work but the weather so nasty and we both have the cold - sniff :(
ReplyDeleteWe haven't yet the sniffs, Carrie although we've had some false alarms, but everything is too wet to do anything on a plot with clay soil!
ReplyDeleteYou all have really had a hard winter this year, in so far. I hope things get better for you in Great Britain.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Beyond my Garden - Would you believe we are covered in snow again!
ReplyDeleteHi again Green Lane, enjoy all your shoots, soups etc in 2011 :-)
ReplyDeleteI smiled at your comment to Mark – I buy dead looking plants. I pull them apart and propagate from them. Its great fun, if I haven’t paid much for them it’s worth a shot.
We’re covered in snow again too. I feel the need for a rain dance ;-)
I am so envious of your potato harvest and hope they all make it through the winter. I'll definitely be looking at your post on potato sowing. I plant my garlic right in the ground in the early spring and it has always done fine. You might be right about losing the cyclamen, and I'm pretty sure I've already lost my rosemary, especially now that the snow cover has melted away and it's turned cold again.
ReplyDeleteAh Shirl but I bet they are not dead dead! Some people buy dead plants! You are like my sister she feels sorry for plants that don't look their best and are left on the shelf which is OK if they sell them off cheaper than those that are fit and healthy :D
ReplyDeleteFortunately we have room for planting plenty potatoes so have various sorts in the hope that some do well.
I'd plant garlic in the ground but our soil is clay and gets very boggy during winter.
Hooray! Glad the garlic are sprouting - have they absolutely shot up since this post? Ours are several centimetres tall now - it's great to see something growing again after the late autumn where it just felt like everything out on the windowsill was dying on me...
ReplyDeleteYes Amy they have absolutely shot up now. I know exactly how you felt
ReplyDelete