Topic: winter onions

[totallyorgansmic]

Hello to you all, I have had my allotment for one year now and i have found it very rewarding, both physically and more important mentally. I work in a stressfull job and find that my allotment is a santuary of peace. It has not been plain sailing though, my plot was overgrown and took hours of digging and planning, this was months before anything was planted. To any person starting up, go at your own pace ,I found a few hours quality work was better than flogging yourself all day. Stand back and look at your plot and enjoy what you have acheived. Anyway my question was , has anyone got any tips for planting winter onions as my plot is looking empty ish after the summer. If so what area should i plant them regarding this and next years crop rotation plan, thanks Adrian :)

[ALAN HOWELL]

Hi .....Japanese onions can be planted as sets in a week or two ,they are not difficult to grow and they will bridge the gap next year until main crop onions are ready.When I plant my sets I cover them with fleece to stop the birds pulling them out,when they start to shoot I remove the fleece.It's not a good idea to plant too many as they don't keep as good as maincrop varieties,unless of course you consume lotsa onions :).....Alan

[salad muncher]

Like you I have had my first year and have a lot of spare ground and have got over winter onions in but then I've also found some over winter broad beans and peas both to put in next month however i am in the south the rest of the ground i hope to get green manure growing to stop the weeds.