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Onions
Bjorn Dajoak
Posts: 6
in Talkback
Having grown onions from sets for a number of years, I am baffled at this years miserable crop. Over the past month or so the tops have gradually been eaten away until now there is no top growth. I have lifted the bulbs which are small but intact. What could be eating the tops? I have never had problems with slugs or birds with onions and the garlic next to them is fine. I do get cats but never known them to eat onions either.
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I've searched on Google and can't find anything that eats the leaves like that. Most pests and diseases seem to start at the bottom of the onion and the evidence is quite obvious. I would be interested to know if anyone knows the answer to this one.
We got downy mildew on our onions this year, have you checked for that?
All our allotment holders this year have had a bad crop. Very small onions and the tops 'frizzling' up very early. It has to be the weather as all of us couldn't have made the same mistake. Let's hope next years crop will be better. It may have been the very wet spring as we have heavy soil here.
Thanks for replies - theres no mildew as otherwise the growth is healthy & its not the normal yellowing/drying off. Its definitely chew marks until theres no top left.
Sounds like mice - they eat anything! I had them nesting in my compost heap once. Also sat and watched one stealing bird seed from the low dish (for robins) and then hide it under a bush for later!
This is the first year I have had an allotment and tried to grow onions,and I have had the same result as Forester2. I thought it was something to do with where I had planted them, but it seems that it wasn't just me that has had a disappointing crop. But the wet weather has produced an enormous pumpkin!