Topic: Food for onions?

[JerryB]

After much consideration i have let Junior grow a few Showmaster varient giant onions down the plot (he is already spending the 85p First Prize money from the gardening assoc show in September... ;)) Any ideas from the assembled masses on what (if anything) to feed said giant onions so they look even more like white footballs with stalks come September?????

[growmore]

How refreshing to see a youngster taking an interest in growing ..
He has certainly started in at the deep end with the ancient art of growing big onions..
Be careful with the hoe as the roots are very shallow ...
Keep them growing for as long as possible.
Never let them dry out in the later stages as this will set them ripening and stop them growing..
Here are some feeding methods used locally for growing big onions ..
The clean way.
  Get some chempack make sure it is the one for onions etc.as there are several sorts.I think it tells you on the box .
There are two ways of using it .
One is using a weak mixture every watering Probably the best..The other is using a stronger mixture and feeding once a week.
Other ways ..
Get some manure, Cow and sheep seem the preffered ones round here but i think any will do ..Put it in a sack or fine mesh bag tie some strong string on to it Then sink it in  a waterbutt a brick in the sack helps.
Let is stand for at least 2 weeks occasionally agittating the bag using the string .
Use this this liquid feed in the watering can diluting it with water so that it looks about the colour of weak tea ..
Instead of using manure a good liquid feed can be made from comfrey leaves nettles etc using same method as above.
Then there is the school of thought that to grow real big onions You need to use diluted recycled lager guiness etc ..
I will leave that to another A4A poster to answer...
He will do ok with the first method but give em plenty so it gets down to the main roots and never let em dry out ..
Hope He get his 85p and the best of luck to Him..

[Multiveg]

I think one book I have down the shed mentions feeding onions every week (from June? to August?) with a general purpose thingy - I use either seaweed meal or blood fish and bone (as I am trying to be organic).

[JerryB]

Thats for that guys, appreciated, will pass it on - if he ever comes off the Playstation..... Growmore, i think i will use the more traditional method though and save the lager for when i get BACK from the allotment!!!!!! :D

[growmore]

The chempack for onions is formula number 8 ...
You dont waste a drop of lager you drink it first ..only use it when it's recycled .. I think Bob Flowerdew off the telly is really in to using this ,well watered down .But I think I would stick to more traditional methods same as you....
I have grown Kelsae onions to over 3lb using just the comfrey method .But I have seen the lads who show giving them the Chempack .No doubt there will be some secret formula we don't know about, But the  big onion and leek men around here  in Yorks are a canny lot and keep it close to their chests.. ;D
 

[philcooper]

It's very unlikely St Bob of the Organics would use chempak!!! (unless he is on the reverse of a road to Damascus)

The organic soultions offered are enough, and cheaper - why introduce the youth of today to chemicals just when the older generation are moving away from them

Comfrey liquid or, failing access to that, liquid seaweed food and a mulch assuming the ground is now nicely moist of FYM or compost

Phil

[growmore]

 Phil,
        I wasn't on about Him using the chempack ..I was on about the recycled lager I think You might have missed a line ...
Cheers Jim...

[philcooper]

Jim,

Apologies, I didn't realise you were refering to human compost accelerator!!!

Phil