[Goosegirl]

Having had some of my onion sets hoicked out of the ground in the past, I came up with this cunning plan. All the bed was covered with mushroom compost and my planting "furrow" made with a stick to reveal the soil beneath and to get my lines straight. After putting the sets in, I firmed them into the soil with some compost around them, scattered BFB on top and placed some clematis netting supported with canes about 6" over them, then spread some shredded paper over the bed. The colour of the compost doesn't look any different to the tips of the sets and the shredded paper should also help. Was this a good idea?

[Salmo]

I believe that often birds are blamed when in fact mice are the culprits. I have had well netted onions sets moved around, often just enough so that you cannot work out where is the right place to put them back.

May be applying BFB will put them off.

[Goosegirl]

Ah - didn't know mice also did that - um. Cats - no dinner for you tonight! 

[JayG]

I use a few galvanised wire hoops to support ordinary garden netting over my shallots until they are well rooted, otherwise the birds do tend to pull them out. I think it's the ones with the wispy tops they can't resist having a look underneath, possibly because they're the easiest ones for a bird to grab hold of.

Works pretty well, although a year or so ago what was probably a fox cub repeatedly (about 6 times) dug up the same semi-mature shallot plant, on one occasion leaving a garden glove half buried underneath it!

Don't recall that particular plant being one of the top performers that year! 

[Hampshire Hog]

I have my onions and shallots under fleece haven't seen much in the way of shoots yet but the warm weather 18.5 today should get them moving. Will remove fleece as soon as they look as though they have put down decent roots.
Hopefully they can beat the birds!!

Cheers HH

[DD.]

I have a far, far simpler cunning plan as used by my grandfather. Forget what the books say and completely cover the sets when you plant them. No faffing with netting wire or nuffin! If there is a whispy bit, just snip it off.

If you don't trust that, plant them as you would usually and them draw some soil over them. The rain will eventually wash this away.

[Growster...]

I reckon you'll be fine, Goosers, and as Salmo suggests, perhaps BFB may just put them off a bit as well!

It certainly puts me off anyway...

[m1ckz]

i do it D D style  works well

[snowdrops]

Yep my Dad taught me to plant them with nothing showing,works fine & no faff,as DD says the rain & cultivating the soil clears the soil away over time.

[Goosegirl]

I use a few galvanised wire hoops to support ordinary garden netting over my shallots until they are well rooted, otherwise the birds do tend to pull them out. I think it's the ones with the wispy tops they can't resist having a look underneath, possibly because they're the easiest ones for a bird to grab hold of. Works pretty well, although a year or so ago what was probably a fox cub repeatedly (about 6 times) dug up the same semi-mature shallot plant, on one occasion leaving a garden glove half buried underneath it! Don't recall that particular plant being one of the top performers that year! 

Foxes are known for their cunning but I've never known one to wear a glove so you can't ID their paw prints! 

[JayG]

  

I do pretty much bury the shallots when planting, but I also chuck spent compost onto the rows (one of the invaluable annual disposal points for mine.)

I should dig it in really, but I'm too lazy, and when it gets wet it becomes attractive to birds (usually blackbirds) who sometimes uncover a few of the shallots during the course of their compost-flicking activities!

Having said that, the netting is really to keep the foxes off, especially as the sprinkling of Growmore I add when planting smells not unlike dried chicken manure for some unaccountable reason. 

[surbie100]

I have a far, far simpler cunning plan as used by my grandfather. Forget what the books say and completely cover the sets when you plant them. No faffing with netting wire or nuffin! If there is a whispy bit, just snip it off.

If you don't trust that, plant them as you would usually and them draw some soil over them. The rain will eventually wash this away.

Fabby, did this by mistake this year, am now going to tell people it was intentional! 

[BabbyAnn]

I have a far, far simpler cunning plan as used by my grandfather. Forget what the books say and completely cover the sets when you plant them. No faffing with netting wire or nuffin! If there is a whispy bit, just snip it off.

If you don't trust that, plant them as you would usually and them draw some soil over them. The rain will eventually wash this away.

my plot can get waterlogged in very wet weather so as well as raised beds, after raking I then draw up the soil to make rows of mounds for even better drainage for both garlc and onion sets.  After nestling the sets as per instructions, I then put a layer of sharp sand on top - wind and rain will eventually knock that down but not before the sets get a chance to sprout and past the oikable stage.

I do however, temporarily pin pea/bean netting about an inch off the top (canes in the corner of the beds to stretch it) as the next problem are the cats that visit!  By the time the plants have got going, the bed isn't quite so inviting,

[Florablunder]

I also tend to cover the sets, then for good measure, put a thin sheet of fleece over the top of them until they are about an inch high. I've not really noticed any being pulled out, and they seem to grow fine like this.

[Goosegirl]

I have a far, far simpler cunning plan as used by my grandfather. Forget what the books say and completely cover the sets when you plant them. No faffing with netting wire or nuffin! If there is a whispy bit, just snip it off.

If you don't trust that, plant them as you would usually and them draw some soil over them. The rain will eventually wash this away.

my plot can get waterlogged in very wet weather so as well as raised beds, after raking I then draw up the soil to make rows of mounds for even better drainage for both garlc and onion sets.  After nestling the sets as per instructions, I then put a layer of sharp sand on top - wind and rain will eventually knock that down but not before the sets get a chance to sprout and past the oikable stage.

I do however, temporarily pin pea/bean netting about an inch off the top (canes in the corner of the beds to stretch it) as the next problem are the cats that visit!  By the time the plants have got going, the bed isn't quite so inviting,

My cat deterrent netting is on as I type!