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Onion bed preparation

colinr51colinr51 Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and looking forward to some opinions etc.

Last season I lost a lot of my onion sets due, I think, to the wrong bed preparation in terms of fertilisers. A lot of the sets looked burnt. 

What are the opinions on best onion bed preparation?

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Hi Colin, I start my sets off in modules in the greenhouse and then plant them out when they have good roots and the shoots are about 5-6" tall.  Each planting hole gets a handful of well rotted farmyard manure trowelled in and that's it.  All I do after that is water them if there has been no rain for a week, otherwise they can bolt.  Since doing this I've always had a great crop of onions.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • colinr51colinr51 Posts: 3

    Thanks Bob,

    That's interesting and helpful - I should have mentioned that my problem sets were in the pollytunnel. I have just added manure to the tunnel beds the last few weeks but not sure whether further fertilisers are needed bearing in mind manure is in? 

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    I wouldn't give them any extra fertiliser at this stage, Colin.  Perhaps tickle in a bit of fish, blood and bone at the side of the rows when they are about golf ball sized, if you think they need a boost.  Onions are greedy plants but I've always found there's enough nutrients in manure to see them through.  Hope you have a great year in the garden in 2017! 

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • michael mpcmichael mpc Posts: 422

    hi bob the gardener    iam going to try your idea of growing the sets of in modules and going to grow some from seed as the polly is up  now  I have ordered 600 for me and 200 for my mate scotty . I have ordered 2kilos of kondor sets to se how they grow  good luck in garden this year  bob   Michael

  • chris 172chris 172 Posts: 403

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    Hi Colin

    Welcome to the forum where I can guarantee you plenty of help and support in your quest for a bountiful  return for your efforts.

    I normally grow my onion sets started off in module trays and plant out once they have established a good root ball, which has stopped any birds lifting out.

    I also have grown onions and shallots from seed and have had a really good return on both methods.

    I am however planting more red onion seed this year as I lost about 15% which ran to seed last year which were red sets.

    I will also be planting seed of other types including shallots which I have collected in the past six months

    My ground for planting onions is well prepared and manures previous year and once planted fed with growmore

    Pictures from last year modules started off in greenhouse and the return

    Happy gardening

  • colinr51colinr51 Posts: 3

    Folks,

    Having harvested all my onions from poly Tunnel I have the same problem as last year. Most sets were stunted in growth or a burnt look which never grew. Never really feed them - only dung in Dec 16. Strangely the onion plants in the Tunnel weren't too bad though I lost a few.

    White rot is a problem for me outside Tunnel but not inside Tunnel.

    Could it be lack of water in Tunnel when planted? Or should I bring them on in greenhouse for longer before transplanting to Tunnel? Any thoughts appreciated!

    Colin

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