[WhippetMaster]

Two questions,

My onion and garlic has hair like leaves growing faster than a hippy in a treehouse, do I cut them a bit or leave them to "reach for the sky?"

And

One of my raised beds has been invaded by an army of ants, there is no damage to plants or anything else at present. Should I serve them an eviction notice or let them live in peace?

[Eristic]

Regarding onions and garlic, let them grow assuming that by hair-like you mean tubular or straplike. The more they grow the better.

As for the ants, I would learn to live with them. Mostly they do no harm.

[Trillium]

But if they're red ants, they won't share in peace. And they bite. Regular digging right now into their nests will send them on their way soon enough. They like peace to build their colonies and constant distruption will have them moving on. Black ants aren't biters, but they're a real nuisance if you plant on fruits there.

[vegmandan]

Are your onions and garlic in your greenhouse or outside ?

If they are inside and they are getting very thin and spindly then it sounds like they're not getting enough light or are getting to much heat for the light they are getting at this time of year.

If they're outside then they'll be fine,the more leaves the more onion skins and the bigger the bulb.

[WhippetMaster]

They have been under a cloche outside in a sunny spot. Thye have had a bit of heat recently

[Trillium]

Hopefully they haven't got too hot under the cloches, and that you raise the cloches a bit during day. Unless you're still getting frost, I'd remove the cloches and let the plants sort themselves out.

[WhippetMaster]

Thanks, have opened them up for a breather, will remove them entirely tommorrow. Will they survive??? They look healthy!!

[gobs]

Ants farm aphids, so really not a grand company in raised bed.

[WhippetMaster]

Thanks all, ants don't seem to be doing much in the way of damage. I heard that some people tend to cut the tops off the onions to concentrate the growing in the bulb. When is this done#??

[Eristic]

Thanks all, ants don't seem to be doing much in the way of damage. I heard that some people tend to cut the tops off the onions to concentrate the growing in the bulb. When is this done#??

Never if you have any sense.

[gobs]

Thanks all, ants don't seem to be doing much in the way of damage. I heard that some people tend to cut the tops off the onions to concentrate the growing in the bulb. When is this done#??

Never if you have any sense.

I almost lost a young peach tree to them last year, but you just carry on.