Author Topic: On a Brighter note!  (Read 2122 times)

Tee Gee

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On a Brighter note!
« on: September 04, 2017, 13:12:03 »
Over the last few years I have never had much success with onions yet in years gone by onions were a bit of a specialty of mine.

OK then I grew them from seed then I changed to 'sets' and for the past four of five years my onion crop has been poor despite buying sets from various locations but it did not seem to make a difference.

Last year  I had the pleasure of visiting Harrogate show (going this year on 15th of this month) and as I was browsing D.T. Brown's stand I saw a packet of onions just described as "Exhibition" so at a £1 a packet I thought I would give them a try.

I have to admit I am not a great fan of D.T. Browns but the crop I got from this packet was very good ( Can't say the same for the Red ones)

I did not do anything special with them other than sow them, prick them out into 3" pots then plant them out in the bed, apart from the initial feed of FB&B I dressed my beds with at planting time I did nothing else, in fact I didn't even weed them.

Come harvest time I got quite a surprise when I fought my way through the weeds and saw the quality of the bulbs.

What crossed my mind was " what would they have been like if I had treated them like "Exhibition Onions" ?

See pics below ( pity I did not put anything in the picture to scale the size of them having said that the laths are 3" wide and the gaps are 1½" wide)

So might buy another packet this year again.


Plot 18

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2017, 15:42:45 »
http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/Vegetable-Seeds-1/Onion-Shallot-Seed_2/Onion-Exhibition-Seeds.html#.Wa1mS2eWzIU

They're a new variety, perhaps I need to try them :icon_thumleft: 
Someone please stop me, I already have 4 varieties of onions to try in my seed box  :laughing7:

johhnyco15

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2017, 16:06:18 »
great onions fella i cant say ive ever had any problems with any of the major seed companies  with seeds apart from dobies but its just the quantity you get for your money not the quality  saying that im not buying any seeds this year ive  a load left over from last season and pea ,bean ,squash , pumpkins, chilis, peppers and tomatoes im saving my own 
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

Tee Gee

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2017, 17:49:03 »
Quote
They're a new variety, perhaps I need to try them :icon_thumleft:
Someone please stop me, I already have 4 varieties of onions to try in my seed box

Yes that's them Plot although my lot were much cheaper  but I don't think I got as many seeds.

I would estimate I got around 100 seeds for my £1 as opposed to 200 for £2-99 so it worked out quite well might get some more when I go to Harrogate next week, certainly worth a £1 a packet!

Plot 18

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2017, 19:16:49 »
A bargain if they always grow that well - Result!

Tee Gee

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2017, 19:23:43 »
On seeing Brown's photo I thought I would try and replicate it to prove that it was not digitally enhanced, plus I got the tape out (something I never do) to give a better idea of size.

In my previous post I mentioned how I grew these and I honestly think that had I tried it would have not been difficult to get them at least half as big again particularly as these two were of average size and I had a few that were slightly larger but these are still on the plot

DrJohnH

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2017, 19:41:15 »
OK- another stupid question (don't worry- I have a ready supply of those)- so it is better to grow onions from seed rather than sets- but what happens if you only have a windowsill rather than a greenhouse?  Can you still do it?

Thanks,

Dr. John

Tee Gee

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2017, 19:54:45 »
Quote
OK- another stupid question (don't worry- I have a ready supply of those)- so it is better to grow onions from seed rather than sets- but what happens if you only have a windowsill rather than a greenhouse?  Can you still do it?

You could invest in one of these (or similar) also known as a "Window sill Propagator"

DrJohnH

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2017, 20:04:12 »
Quote
OK- another stupid question (don't worry- I have a ready supply of those)- so it is better to grow onions from seed rather than sets- but what happens if you only have a windowsill rather than a greenhouse?  Can you still do it?

You could invest in one of these (or similar) also known as a "Window sill Propagator"

Thanks for the tip!


johhnyco15

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2017, 15:48:42 »
I've had trouble for years so might give them a go  i only had 9 without white rot dried  them put 5 in the show they was pretty much similar and got 2nd  so  may give it a go for a pound
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

Tee Gee

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2017, 17:33:01 »
Just a thought for you Johnny

Why not have a bit of a change next year and grow your potatoes in the ground as I understand it your soil is quite 'sandy' so this should make them relatively clean for exhibiting. Then as an alternative.....grow your Onions in your buckets!

As I said its just a thought but as they say:

Nothing Ventured nothing Gained.

johhnyco15

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Re: On a Brighter note!
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2017, 17:38:48 »
that was my plan well grow both in buckets ive 4 sacks of spuds with  two more to turn out far too many spuds for us so will cut it back by half im glad we are on the same page as it were was going to do garlic  also
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

 

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