This sasons Onions for me where planted last Autumn and I did quite well for my first time. However walking around my local alottment I noticed that many gardeners where planting theirs in Spring.
I'm sure it has to do with harvest times, but what is the difference between autumn/spring planted onions?
Steve...:)
My take on it is, it's normal to sow in Spring (or indoors earlier, to plant out in Spring) and that people have developed or discovered varieties which can also be started off in Autumn.
The bonus is they will be ready earlier, giving you onions in early summer and freeing up a bed for late summer planting.
The downside is that there are more losses - some won't survive the winter.
Personally I like to have both.
The advantage of Autumn for me is that they mature before the really wet July/Aug comes. I definately have white rot and once the rains come the maincrop seem to keel off and that is it! They don't store as well though.
Quote from: Steve. on October 03, 2010, 12:15:15
I'm sure it has to do with harvest times, but what is the difference between autumn/spring planted onions?
Autumn planted onions are harvested June - July time and store a while but not too long. Spring sown onions are usually harvested late August and store well into winter.
We have grown Radar for overwintering for the last few years and apart from getting the Leek moth the 1st year and since covering them. We get a really good crop. We have got 3 left at the moment so cannot really grumble.We will use the maincrop that we planted in Spring to hpefully see us through to about March approx
Toughbaal ios supposed to get you the storage of spring planted from autumn sowings..... I I hadn't already got Senshyu and Hi Keeper started off (as well as an experimental Long Red FLorence sowing)
chrisc
So a mixture of both is best, plant some now for use mid summer to autumn..and spring plant also for longer term use and storage.
Thanks for the info!
Steve...:)
Quote from: Steve. on October 04, 2010, 15:27:18
So a mixture of both is best, plant some now for use mid summer to autumn..and spring plant also for longer term use and storage.
Thanks for the info!
Steve...:)
That's the point of TOughball... it's a long-storage overwintering type.... I might try some next year cos it sounds like it'd be a good pickler planted rather closer than standard... it'll ahve to be good to beat my fvourite SY300 and Borettana di soto Aceti ...
chrisc
QuoteSo a mixture of both is best,
Not as such!
Quoteplant some now for use mid summer to autumn..
You can plant sets now but it is a bit late for sowing seed. Onions of this type are generally classified as 'Japanese Onions' and are designed / bred to sit in the ground over winter. Summer/Autumn cropping varieties wont!
Quoteand spring plant also for longer term use and storage.
You 'SOW' summer / autumn cropping onions arund Jan/Feb or 'PLANT' sets around April depending upon where you live!
So its a case of getting to know your onion types!
And lets face Tee Gee you certainly do know your onions ;D ;D ;D.
I planted Snowball white onions last week so I'll keep you posted.
Quoteit'll ahve to be good to beat my fvourite SY300 and Borettana di soto Aceti ...
SY300 sounds like a robot onion.
Do pickling onions need special characteristics, apart from being small?
Picklers tend to be bred for two things... size and solidity/density. Size cos there's a limit on how big you want them, and the higher the "hardness" the longer and better they can stand in vinegar... important if you like to cold-pickle but like it to incorporate plenty of spice too....
IIRC SY300 is an outbreed from Giant Zittau, one of the old classics, nice taste but didn't stand that well, SY300's
are like musket balls....
chrisc
I grow very few cooking onions now, I use far more shallots so that is what I use for the majority of my allium needs! I use a mixture of autumn planted Jermor shallots sets, and Longor spring planted sets, and also grow banana shallots from seed in January, planted out in April. The spring sown sets were an experiment this year, and I got brilliant results, they did better than the autumn sown ones...as this was the first year I've done this I'm not sure if this was a fluke or not! I'm going to grow a few less autumn sown sets this year, and have ordered more spring sown ones, we shall see if this turns out to be a good move or not!
The only onions apart from slad types I grew were some free trial ones from T&M, supposed to be mildew resistant 'Santero'...they did very well until that wet spell in the summer, and their foliage disappeared to nothing overnight! Grew to a good size though.