Silverskin onions

I finally lifted my onions today. I could have left them in a couple more weeks because there were still quite a lot of green leaves, but it's getting colder now so didn't seem worth the risk. I grew Beds Champ, Ailsa Craig, Long Red Florence and Silverskin. I did BC and AC last year as well and had an excellent crop from them. This year they're not quite as good, with less big ones and more runts, but still a worthwhile crop. The less said about my Long Red Florence the better.

I also had poor results from the Silverskins, which I've never grown before. Quite a few hadn't really grown at all and of the ones that did, a lot had two stems, sometimes with a split bulb and sometimes not. Quite a few of them were soft too, I think because they just hadn't really lifted themself out of the soil at all, so I chucked those. All four onion varieties were grown in the same bed, sown and planted out at the same time, and weeded/watered/fed exactly the same.

After having two years in a row now with lousy summers, I want to start focusing more on varieties that are tough enough to give a reasonable crop even in a bad (i.e. average) summer. I don't think I'll do Long Red again for that reason, and if this is also the problem with Silverskin I'd rather find a tougher pickling variety too. So can anyone tell me if they generally are a bit more tender than AC or BC? And if so, can anyone suggest a good pickling variety that's hardier?

think i was lucky with my silverskins then from the sound of it cos i never even opened my packet !! 

Looks like it J

great success with my spring onion though white lisben,at one stage they never looked up to much and stayed at a puny size now i carnt beleive i am looking at the same product !

I've never had much luck with Paris Silverskin so I tried de Barletta (seeds from Lidl) and have had good results the last two years. Most about grape size which is ideal.

BC grown from seed this year have been excellent with the biggest individual weighing in at 320g. Not bad considering the weather has been cr*p. Also had good results from Sweet Spanish which are lovely and mild. None of the red onions have been much good this year.

Like grannie, I pickle my shallots. Mind you they've been poor this time.

All the best for 2013 J...

I can't believe what those kids did to your stuff earlier this year year Jay.  Bad enough when they do it to allotments, but where you are is better protected.  Or should be!

But hopefully, now you have a nice neighbour and nicer than previously carer, 2013 will be a much better year for you.

My shallots did quite well this year despite the enormous amounts of rain we had.  I had enough for 12 jars of pickled shallots, plus kept a few of the larger ones to use as cooking onions, and quite a few of the smaller ones that I put in my piccallili!

Some of my shallots had 11 babies on them! 

when you think grannie that i found this site by googling recipes for piccalilli cos one area i have no experience in is pickles and preserves,jellies and jams and i adore piccalilli,had to sign up as soon as i found the range of subjects covered in the various forums which is why i started in our garden i will be better organised for next year and have better luck all around i just feel it ! in the meantime i am going to get ingredients at asda on mon with jane and use recipe off here with large preserving pan i brought about 6 or 7 months ago on, i think mrs b,s recomendation that has never been used yet ! ::)and all this talk of onions has made me decide to pull a few more spring onions up for supper with chunks of mature cheese and home made bread oh happy days !!