onions

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geddall

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onions
« on: October 13, 2010, 22:52 »
can you gro onions in same plot as last years season

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Springlands

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onions
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2010, 08:31 »
Hi Geddall - welcome to the site. It is best not to grow any crop in the same place each year you only encourage pests and diseases. Onion white rot can be a real problem so you want to do your best to avoid it.

Can I suggest that you go to the "welcome" area of the forum and introduce yourself - let everyone know where you live and what your interests are. You will get a good welcome. Also use the "growing help" button at the top of the page - it is really useful. (I would try attaching the links for you but I am useless at that sort of thing  ;)


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bigben

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Re: onions
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2010, 10:15 »
If you read the books and listen to advice from RHS then you would say no - you should rotate.

However almost everyone on my site has a dedicated onion bed which they use year after year. The guy next to me has two allotments and grows over 2000 onions every year in the same soil (before you ask the obvious question -I think he sells them). He has grown in this way for years!

The reason for rotating is to avoid disease and avoid depleting the soil of the specific nutrients that a crop uses. Unfortunately I took over my allotment in Jan and grew 300 onions about 20% of which ended up with white rot even though the allotment had been left overgrown for 3 years prior to me taking it on. I am growing in a different area this year!

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potatogrower

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Re: onions
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2010, 10:30 »
i think rotating is a good idea but then again i  have never done it for onions, thought only potato's were rotated. sounds like a logical choice to do but the other areas i have are all covered in fresh manure and i had onion area already manured from commercial bag in time for November. Maybe into next year i will do it but i never had an issue with other crops other than sweet corn, mainly because i never refreshed the soil with manure or other nutrients.

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rowlandwells

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Re: onions
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2010, 15:05 »
i have found though experience that onion rotation is the best way although that's my opinion on our lottie i have found that spreading wood ash prior to sowing has improved the quality of the onions the only problem is on our lottie you need to lift the onions early as they tend to get mildew if left in the ground when there ready to lift if this is done the onions keep very well overwinter my wife is always meticulous in tying our onions up in the greenhouse .we grew turbo[sets]this year very good :D

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rowlandwells

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Re: onions
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2010, 15:36 »
hi i went to growing help and found very useful i am definitely going to take the advise given on this site and grow more onions from seed next year as well as sets ;)

i grew hyfort and Bugatti this year  thinking of trying a red seed variety next year [red baron] pelleted seed the only thing i hate about growing onions is weed control its very time consuming  but onions look good when weeded i know there is no weed suppression from onions  :(




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JohnB47

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Re: onions
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2010, 19:45 »
Here's a quote from Dr Hessayons 'The Vegetable and Herb Expert':

"Many exibitors grow their show onions in a permanent bed to build up fertility, but in the kitchen plot it is a much better idea to change the site annually".

That just confuses me.


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richyrich7

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Re: onions
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2010, 19:58 »
Well I'd say for best results then yes every year, but if it's your 1st year on a plot I'd say you'd be ok to use the same patch again, assuming you had no problems this year ?

Remember crop rotation is done for a number of reasons, not just disease control.
He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.

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johnfh

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Re: onions
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2010, 22:59 »
I have just planted japanese onion sets and was quite pleased with them last year.  However they do not get that big and I also read that you get bigger bulbs if you start from seed (which seems odd to me).

What variety do members recommend for a good sized and strongish flavoured onion next year.  Seed or sets, when should they be planted and indoors or out?

John

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penninehillbilly

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Re: onions
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2010, 00:01 »
Hi Begben
The reason for rotating is to avoid disease and avoid depleting the soil of the specific nutrients that a crop uses. Unfortunately I took over my allotment in Jan and grew 300 onions about 20% of which ended up with white rot even though the allotment had been left overgrown for 3 years prior to me taking it on. I am growing in a different area this year!
doesn't white rot take about 10-15 years to 'die out'?

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bigben

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Re: onions
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2010, 11:31 »
Hi Begben[doesn't white rot take about 10-15 years to 'die out'?

Iam not sure how long it takes but I know it is longer than the 3 years my allotment laid untended. I suspect I might be growing in a bed that was used extensively for onions and built up white rot. Hopefully next year I will have more success in a different bed.

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penninehillbilly

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Re: onions
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2010, 23:54 »
Hi Bigben
sorry about the earlier name change - must take more care typing :)

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DD.

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Re: onions
« Reply #12 on: October 17, 2010, 06:36 »
The RHS say it can survive for at least 15 years.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=226
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?



 

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