Topic: Onion shortage

[VP]

Did anyone see the piece on the BBC national news yesterday about the probable onion shortage this year? I'm feeling pleased (not about the shortage, mind) 'cos I managed to blog about it before them  ;D

How were your crops? Are they storing well? I'm finding mine are currently about where I expect them to be in April time - going a bit soft. I thought this might happen when I harvested them last year - it was @*£! hard to get them anywhere near being dry enough to store and I reckon I had about 2 thirds my usual crop. As a result I'm trying some autumn planted sets for the first time as my insurance backup, so hopefully there won't be the same problems come June/July!

[manicscousers]

we've had one or two start shooting but still got enough, fingers crossed..we're planting many more this year as we lost about the same as you  ;D

[twinkletoes]

I was very lucky and lost only one or two last season.  Still got plenty and they are storing well.  So have decided it might be an idea to put an extra lock on the garage door to stop anyone helping themselves to my onions ::)  ::)
Twinkletoes

[bupster]

Nearly all of mine have started shooting, didn't store them properly (they were also a quite pathetic size and many bolted). So this year will be doing autumn planting and spring planting and storing much, much more carefully.

Do you think onion thieves will wear stripey shirts and make their getaways on bicycles?

[twinkletoes]

.....after they have stuffed their hats in their pockets...!!! ::)
Twinkletoes

[asbean]

How were your crops?

Crops ??? ???  You must be joking. Last year I had 200 sets over wintered, about 150 spring planted plus enough garlic to last the rest of the year.  It was a dead loss. I reckon we had about 30-50 onions that were a decent size and edible. The garlic was so small it was we were using one head instead of one clove.

This spring the autumn planted ones are looking very healthy, so fingers crossed it might be a better year. In any case, it couldn't be any worse.  :-\ :-\

[posie]

Well they say you learn as you go along and I've just learned that planting onions at the bottom of a sloping allotment plot is a very bad idea, just been up to find that out of the 60 or so I planted in the autumn, I've probably only got about 15 and they're all looking a bit on the sickly side.  All the rain has waterlogged that particular bed and I'm doubting I'll get much out of it.  Have to rethink that one!   :(

[cambourne7]

posted about this last week

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,38228.msg380051.html#msg380051

[VP]

Sorry Cambourne7 - I did look for earlier posts before I put mine up, but only looked in Edible Plants.  ::)

Still getting the hang of this forum thang

[glosterwomble]

It was my first year with the allotment and first attempt at growing onions and we didn't do brilliantly, it started well but when we had the constant rain they looked as if they were starting to rot so I pulled the lot up early and dryed them off under cover. So we ended up with 3/4 of the original crop but quite small onions and we ran out ages ago, I use LOADS of onions so I will do more this year.

[kt.]

Sorry folks but I had a fantastic crop. My best ever. I will run  out in a month or so. Check out these babies...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11143767@N08/