Allotments 4 All

Can I ask if anyone is watering their onoins.
It's so dry where I am and no promise of rain for the next week, that I feel I should give them something but an allotment neighbour said not to as it rots their bottoms!

Any advice greatfully received

Dizzymac

Mine have had no water for 2 weeks now. As I don't want them to go to seed - I have watered them all this morning at the base of each plant. I wont water them again for another 2 weeks but hopefully it will rain before then ::)

Watering them once a week at the moment. My site is on top of a hill and very exposed so with the current wind and sun even the heavy clay soil is starting to turn into a desert.

Hi Mac, Hi all  :)

Mine are forming flower heads now, after what is effectively a month of drought, and with very free draining soil.
I will be watering heavily at least once a week on the weekend and maybe midweek too until it rains, and planting a new crop as soon as it does.

Col

Also got a couple of mine forming flower heads - waterering once a week since a fornight ago.  Ground very hard and dry.

Jitterbug

Yep I agree every two weeks should be sufficient water

We planted ours 2 weeks ago, and have watered them twice, on weds, sunday and tis morning.
Hope this is ok.

My winter onions are coming along nicely, I water once a week if there has been no rain and a nice few chicken pellets scattered amongst them, but the summer onions get a sprinkling three times a week until they are well established as they are inter-planted with the carrots they tend to get a splashing anyway.

I've been watering mine, also because I have very fine dry soil and it rarely rains. Just watering every two weeks or so.

Last year I didnt water my shallots and they didnt grow, they were like little pebbles. They tasted nice but you had to use a magnifying glass to peel them.

I don't want microscopic onions this year so I've got the watering can out!

Hi everyone

Thanks for all the comments
I think I'll water them once a week, especially my shallots now.

Dizzymac

Hmmmm ok i take it watering them once a day is too much.........ooops!  ::)  :-\

Once a day might be too much because of this rotting problem, tho it might be interesting to find out if anyone does water more regularly with no problems.

I remember someone posting something on site not so long ago about old wives tales or urban myths.

So has anyone experienced rotting bottoms!!!! :o

Hi,
Just to add to this.  Last year I was a newbie, and watered my onions and spuds nearly every day.  The onions were lovely and strong, and no rot in sight, but they were in slightly raised beds.
This year I have decided to water once a week, although I have some in buckets, and will do them more often. 
You could always leave some out, and water more often, just to see the difference!

Hi all,

Quote
Hmmmm ok i take it watering them once a day is too much.........ooops!

I think its better to give crops a good soaking less often rather than a little every day.

Col

You should water your onions regularly near to cropping as this swells the bulb.
If they are going to seed nip them off as low down as possible.

The advise I was given wavy was not to water when near to cropping because they feed from underground and need to dry out, but everyone has their own way, and Chris, I used to water everyday and the plants get used to it so let them get used to once a day, and let them find their own source of water, especially the spuds Newbies.  ;D ;D ;D

Unless the spuds are in buckets or sacks.....

Noticed today that couple of mine are developing a flower head looking thingy at the top of the green stems  ::) (coulden't think of proper term)

Do i just cut it off or cut the hole stem off?? ??? ???

I have been watering once a day (not soaking though)

Been watering mine twice a week. Now the sets are well establishes (tops around 8 inches high) I reckon they have started a good root system. The onions grown from seed and planted out a couple of weeks ago will probably still need a good drink twice a week unless we see some rain.
What about potatoes? my first earlies were around nine inches tall and I've earthed them up. Do I need to water regularly, heavily to get down to the tubers or not at all? any advice appreciated. TC ???

Hi again

My allottie neighbour said not to water the potatoes either, mine are about six inches up through the soil after being earthed up twice!!
I'm praying we don't get a frost as 100 spuds will take a lot of fleece to cover.

However with the promise now of rain tomorrow ( well I hope it rains in Oxforshire),  we wont have to worry anymore.

Cheers Dizzy :)