Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => The Show Bench => Topic started by: mattwragg94 on February 16, 2012, 19:58

Title: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on February 16, 2012, 19:58

Hi, just wondered if anyone is growing any exhibition onions this year because im growing kelsae for the first time just for fun, and to hopefully enter i the local show?

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: DD. on February 16, 2012, 20:06

I've moved you to the Show Bench, where hopefully the experts will see this.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on February 16, 2012, 20:06

thanks dd

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: DD. on February 16, 2012, 20:08

I'm growing them myself, but not for show!

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on February 16, 2012, 20:13

well i'll be eating them aswell, its just that i saw a giant onion a few years back at the local show and have wanted to grow them since. i was a little late sowing them (late jan) but i hope ill get something from them!

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: DD. on February 16, 2012, 20:26

Sowed mine on Boxing Day this time - I was a day late the previous year!

Most of them ran out between 2 1/2 - 3lb, with not a lot of special treatment. They sat doing nothing for ages, then just took off.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on February 16, 2012, 20:28

oops hopefully mine will catch up! oh well nothing ventured nothing gained

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: yorky on March 21, 2012, 19:48

My onions for the show are coming along nicely. last year I had the biggest in show at 5lbs 5oz. Hoping to get one up to 6lbs this year.

(http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn181/loiner18/Show%202012/IMG_0152.jpg)

(http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn181/loiner18/Show%202012/IMG_0151.jpg)

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on March 21, 2012, 19:54

mine are just starting to grow too, but still aren't very big (just bigger than a blade of grass) - hopefully i'll get something out of them! - if i decide to grow them next season i'll make sure i sow them alot earlier. oh well atleast i can say that ive tried.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: yorky on March 21, 2012, 20:06

Hi Matt,
Unless you can provide them with extra heat and light there is nothing to be gained by sowing before about late Feb. They just stand still waiting for the conditions to improve, which rather defeats the object of sowing early.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: Ice on March 21, 2012, 20:09

What variety do yopu grow and do you pot them on at all yorky? :)

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: yorky on March 21, 2012, 20:18

Hi Ice.
They are Kelsae and I started them off with two seeds per module. They were later potted into 3.5 inch pots and are now in 5 inch pots. The compost is John Innes no2.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: Ice on March 21, 2012, 20:32

Is that the final pot size?  Nice arrangement with the pegs and ties by the way. :)

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: yorky on March 21, 2012, 20:48

Yes they will be in those pots untill planting out about the middle of April. The ties are the result of years of research and self denial  :D

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: Ice on March 21, 2012, 20:50

Quote from: yorky on March 21, 2012, 20:48

The ties are the result of years of research and self denial  :D

You're a hero to us all. :closedeyes: :lol:

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on March 22, 2012, 20:15

Quote from: Ice on March 21, 2012, 20:50

You're a hero to us all. :closedeyes: :lol:
[/quote]

here here :lol: yorky when did you start yours off, i sowed mine at the end of jan, then i transplanted them at the crook-neck stage and put them straight out into the greenhouse.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: yorky on March 23, 2012, 19:22

I started mine at Christmas in a propagator. Once germinated they were kept at a minimum of 50f and 12 hours per day of light. For about the last month they have just been in a cold greenhouse with no extra heat or light.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: snowdrops on March 23, 2012, 19:48

They look very impressive Yorkie,wish mine were that big. I will look to potting mine up in that size pots.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: Salmo on March 26, 2012, 10:24

Those adjustable loops are a really good idea. As ever the simple designs are always the best.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on May 30, 2012, 09:41

just thought i would bring this thread back to life, to see how everyones exhibition onions are coping.

mine have been very slow, however a few weeks ago they started to swell and they seem to look bigger every time i look at them.

Heres a pic of what mine currently look like:

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: carrotfaggot on June 18, 2012, 10:16

These are mine as of yesterday. Grown in 20L pots and swelling nicely.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: mattwragg94 on July 03, 2012, 20:47

Oops ive only just noticed your pic Carroffaggot, they look fantastic, if only mine where half the size of yours i would be happy! strangely i have found that the ones that im growing outside are doing alot better than the ones in the GH, so the ones in the GH are now outside.

I just hope i get something usable from them, i dont think im going to make the local show with them (which is what i intended them for!), there only about the size of an egg  >:(, but they are starting to swell up quickly now - so only time will tell!

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: carrotfaggot on July 04, 2012, 09:03

Mine are averaging 16" around, growing by 1/4" each day.

Title: Re: Exhibition onions
Post by: yorky on July 08, 2012, 18:21

These are mine as of today. I dont think they are doing as well as last year. After planting them out we had frost every night for over a week, then they were pelted with hail stones.

(http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn181/loiner18/Garden/IMG_0165.jpg)