Topic: gaps

[sarah]

I have a bed which i have planted up with onions garlic and shallots.  They are growing away nicely but there are gaps where the sets have either been filched by birds or not grown for what ever reason.  I am not keen on gaps, What do you guys do with them? I know that alliums dont like competition much so what could i put there? lettuces?  flowers? or are they best left?

[machman5]

Hi Sarah,
I always move some of the others at the ends of the rows into the gaps and then use the 'mini borders' which this leaves at the ends, in my case it is along my path,  for lettuce or flowers.

I did look up onions and Garlic.for you in a companion planting table and it says you can safely put Beetroot, Chard, Lettuce, Strawberry or Summer Savory with onions.

Hope this helps!
Donna :D

[sarah]

thanks Donna, thats great, i was wondering where to squeeze in my beetroot, I shall do as you suggest.  I wasnt sure if it was ok to move the aliums but if you reckon its ok i shall do that. thanks.

[machman5]

Yeah, I'm not sure if you're meant to move them but I just make my own rules up and rarely lose stuff!   ::)
All I do is make sure they have had a water about half hour before, make the hole you are moving it to deep enough for the roots to drop down a bit and then backfill around the roots, under the onion before plonking it in the hole fully so it is as deep as it was before.
Donna.

[Hot_Potato]

what an interesting question that is....I've also got a few gaps in my 2 rows of shallots......one row seems fine (all there) but the next one has quite a few missing in one half.....will try moving the 'odd ones' up to fill the gaps and then use what's left of the row for my beetroot too...thanks

[supersprout]

I always move some of the others at the ends of the rows into the gaps and then use the 'mini borders' which this leaves at the ends, in my case it is along my path,  for lettuce or flowers.

I put a pinch of beetroot and Little Gem lettuce into compost every couple of weeks during the sowing season. The seedling go out in gaps on the plot and I don't mind the random effect. I'm tempted to try Donna's idea of moving the main crop together and leaving the ends of the rows, that would look very neat ;D ;D ;D