[David.]

Good point David. I'll look into it.

Sorry, but I'm a sod for asking questions like that.

[Rob the rake]

Incredibly, I can't find an answer to your question, David.
Horses are pampered creatures though, and I can't imagine that they will be fed any old rubbish.

[burlington]

Thanks for all your posts folks.

I have now decided to give up growing them for good.

After all, in the space they take up I can always grow something easy, like peas.

Martin

[gobs]

Thanks for all your posts folks.

I have now decided to give up growing them for good.

After all, in the space they take up I can always grow something easy, like peas.

Martin

I think that's best right now, Martin. Don't forget not to grow any alliums. In a few year's time this research might get much more conclusive and advanced.

I didn't read this articles yesterday, but I think, there was not such a 100% success rate at all, after all, it's dated 1999, everybody would be doing it by now.

[mashauk]

Apparently there's a lot of white rot in our area.  Last year we brought the manky onions home to dispose of and have moved the onion bed to the other end of the plot, I planted them several weeks ago and they're fine so far, growing etc., I've only got onions and garlic in there, no shallots or spring onions as they were the worst affected and it was a very wet summer so that didn't help.  To be honest if I get it again I'll just give up growing onions as they're so cheap anyway, and continue to grow garlic in pots in the back garden, it won't be the end of the world.  My 2 tries at leeks failed too, the first lot just didn't grow and the 2nd lot had a bug in them (can't remember what it's called now), but we'll try again this year and see.

[Jaye]

Hi, I know i'm a newbie but I'm sure I read in a magazine the other day that there are some rot resistant varieties you can grow if you do get onion rot so you don't have to ompletely go without. I'll find the magazine - it won't be far away pretty sure I read it in the last couple of days!

Jaye

[Jaye]

Sorry I was wrong (I just looked it up) - it was talking about clubroot not onion rot

Many apologies.

Jaye

[WG.]

You had me all excited there Jaye!  

[WG.]

Your clubroot resistant varieties would be of great interest on these threads though please :

Broccoli : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11200
Cabbage : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=10996
Cauli : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=10982
Kale : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11195
Sprouts : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11205

[paintedlady]

I'm sure I read somewhere that onion rot is active at a certain soil temperature - hence, you might be able to get away with growing leeks over winter but dig them all up well before spring.

[Annie]

I had some white rot in my onions and had planted leeks next to them before I knew.I am cropping these leeks slowly to see if they also succumb,so far so good.I can cope growing no onions but garlic and leeks,which we eat lots of I would really miss.

[WG.]

I'm sure I read somewhere that onion rot is active at a certain soil temperature - hence, you might be able to get away with growing leeks over winter but dig them all up well before spring.

I'd be delighted to expand on this entry if you know or find temperature details  
http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11058 (just post new info)  Ta.

[Jaye]

WG I will put them on those threads as soon as I can - PC time very limited due to the poorly ones atm! I have literally popped on for 2 secs

Jaye

[paintedlady]

I'm sure I read somewhere that onion rot is active at a certain soil temperature - hence, you might be able to get away with growing leeks over winter but dig them all up well before spring.

 I'd be delighted to expand on this entry if you know or find temperature details  
http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11058 (just post new info)  Ta.

 :oops: Sorry WG I can't find it.  Perhaps I made some deductions and came up with a solution?

Here goes the rationale:  Everything (including websites in the above topic) suggests cool moist climates (but above 50oF) are ideal for white rot, so overwintering Japanese onions and garlic are particularly vulnerable over spring and summer when the soil is still fairly wet and soil temperature rises and the allium root systems are growing and activating any spores in the soil.  By the time the bulbs are ready to harvest, a full blown onion rot is the case.

Now, temperatures above 75oF inhibit onion rot - about the time the leeks would be going into the soil (bearing in mind that no other alliums have been in that same bed)  By the time they are due for harvesting, the temperature drops and with lots of frost keeping the soil below 50oF ... there may be some onion rot present, but it doesn't get the chance to devastate the whole crop.

Conclusion:  We need hot summers, diving autumn temperatures, and lots of frost to produce an unblemished leek.

[Jaye]

I have put the varietties for cabbage and cauli on their respecyive threads WG. There is also one given for swede "Marion" - unless that's a misprint - do swede get clubroot?

Apparently another way to control it is to put lime into the soil to raise the pH as high as 7.5ph as the clunroot tjrives in acidic conditions (pH 6.5 and below) - but becareful not to overdo it, especially if you are growing potatoes as this can cause them to scab.

I got the information from the February 2008 edition of Grow Your Own magazine - page 75.

Jaye