[joules0404]

Hi all, am new to this site and wanted to know whether it would benefit my autumn onion crop this year if I painstakingly cut up the old pea and mangetout plants that have finished on the bed that the onions will be going in to?
Also, I have read that some nitrogen is needed for onions - what about a small amount of well-rotted chicken manure (4 years old) combined with fish blood and bone applied one week before I plant the onions?
Many thanks

[arugula]

Hi and welcome! I'll move your question to the grow your own board for expert answering.

[Aidy]

I generally dont feed my overwintering onions until spring time, nitrogen will make a lot of leaf growth which if the winter is harsh as we have had the last two years you may find they will be killed off.
During the cold months the bulb just puts roots down to establish then starts to bulb up next year.

[sunshineband]

I have put some fish blood and bone in the bed about a month ago, and this will do them.

As Aidy said, don't want too much nitrogen to encourage leaf growth right now.

[Goosegirl]

I believe that they like to be grown "hard" i.e. not too much nitrogen, as has been said before. Sunshineband has it right.

[Salmo]

Your pea plants will have fixed nitrogen from the air in the nodules that you will see on the roots if you dig one up. The nodules will break down while your onions are growing and release the nitrogen back into the soil. Break or cut your peas off at ground level to leave the roots in the soil. Compost the tops.

Do not feed until Spring. Nitrogen to start with, pea roots will supply some, and then high potash fertiliser once the onions begin to bulb up. Any tomato feed will do.