Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: lucylike on March 21, 2010, 16:21
-
I planted some onion sets last autumn (they were hardy ones) and it looks like they are growing away nicely - about 10cm of top growth. :)
However, upon closer inspection some of the bulbs look shrivelled or soft. :(
Could it be, that they've been damaged by the frost after all? Will a new bulb develop or is it better to take them out and plant new sets? ???
Thanks :)
-
Some of my autumn planted garlic looks like that, planted out in October got drenched all November and frost bitten from December to end of Feb. Going to leave it alone hopefully will recover nw.
-
Leave them where they are. Think of the sets as being an energy store for all that lovely new green growth - no wonder they're looking depleted/shrivelled. New bulbs should form later.
-
Have to agree with Loubs about leaving them alone. We've planted winter onions every year for the past 7 years, and never had a crop fail yet. My own ones looked in a poor state earlier this year, but have perked up now the warmer weather is (slowly :tongue2: ) getting here.
-
If the leaves are green and erect, and are growing, then all is well.
I'm sure they will bulk up over the next few months.
My grandad always used to say that they go soft if left to overwinter, which is why they don't store as well. Never really investigated his with my own, but I guess it makes sense.
-
Great :D Thanks.
It's the first time I started them off in autumn and just wasn't sure.