We have managed to get about half of the shallots and onions that were started in modules planted on the plot. As with the carrots and parsnips we are planting them in slits cut into weed control fabric. In the past onions have been notoriously difficult to weed as the weeds often snuggle in under to bulbs.
As we seem to have a lot to plant they are maybe closer together than recommended but we don't need huge onions so hopefully they have room to develop into a useful size.
Two varieties of shallots Golden Gourmet and Red Sun are planted in the outer rows. Then there is one row of each of four varieties of onion - Stuttgarter, Sturon, Rumba and Karman. Karmen is a red variety and the other varieties are yellow.
Now I just need to plant the rest!
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Good idea about the covering. There is a persistent dandelion wrapped round one of my red onions in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI guess we will still get weeds growing through the slits, Jo but it can only help - If so I may tweak our method next year!
DeleteYou've got a good number of onion and shallots there! Think I will aim to plant out this weekend.
ReplyDeleteWe have more to plant out too, Kelli
DeleteMine are waiting patiently to be planted out, they've all got some good growth on them now, like yours. Did you say you're having a go at growing from seed again this year? My seedlings are tiny in comparison to the sets, but I think they'll be ok being planted out.
ReplyDeleteWe've given up on the seed sown onion, Jo - they really didn't take off and we wonder whether they are really worth the effort.
DeleteThose look like wonderfully healthy specimens. I don't really have room for onions in my back yard plot, alas. I've got a few dozen garlic bulbs in, but onions will have to wait until I've got more growing space, I think.
ReplyDeleteHi Darren and welcome onions do take up a lot of space for the crop you get off so you are probably wise to restrict yourself to garlic.
DeleteI don't know how you manage to cope with such large quantities. Makes my 26 Shallots (and no onions) look a bit pathetic!
ReplyDeleteDo you transplant parsnips from indoor-grown modules then? The received wisdom is that parsnips don't like being transplanted and are best sown direct. Have you disproved this?
We have the same again waiting to be planted out.
DeleteWe sow our parsnips direct on the plot into shallow compost trenches. The root doesn't like to be disturbed but I know Lisa at
Not Just Greenfingers sows the seeds in kitchen rroll tubes and plants the lot out when the seedlings have got going.
Your shallots and onions look fantastic, Sue, and there are so many of them! My garden is too small to grow them, so I stick to spring onions in pots :-)
ReplyDeleteYou do need space to grow a decent amount of onions Paula. Spring onions don't seem to like growing for us.
DeleteWow, impressive, your allotment must be huge! I don’t grow any type of onions, not even spring onions, but I do grow chives – just the kind of right-size plant for my garden :-)
ReplyDeleteWe do have a large plot Helene and manage to fill it up.
DeleteEach year I look forward to your onion and shallot harvest. I am trying to grow potato onions at the moment. With all the rain this month, I hope the bulbs won't rot.
ReplyDeleteWhat are potato onions, Diana
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