Onion mulch

[stv]

Hello again

I have planted my onion and garlic sets, which are doing very well, but need constant delicate weeding between. Can anyone recommend a good mulch to use, I was originally thinking rotted manure, but not sure if this is advisable.

Thanks in advance,
Stv

[Mrs Dobby]

Grass cuttings are something I've heard of folks using before, or ash from the bonfire, tho if anyone else has any other suggestions I'd be happy to hear them too! We too are constantly weeding between our onion sets and garlic!

[supersprout]

I use barley straw between the rows, a friend of mine uses fresh grass cuttings. Light mulch (couple of inches, loosely fluffed) at first, stops the birdies picking at young shoots, then when they have poked through gradually layer on another four to six inches - you won't get annual weeds, and it's easy to spot and pull any perennials that make it through.



I sprinkle wood ash on onions from May onwards. If any barley seedlings start sprouting, lift up the wodge of straw they are growing in and turn it upside down!

[rustylady]

Personally, I wouldn't mulch onions or garlic - I think it might make them prone to rotting. I have a very good little tool for keeping the weeds down though, I call it a "three pronged doofer" - not sure what the proper name is. It is literally a small hand tool with three curved "prongs" and if you're careful you can use it quite close to plants. Then you only need to hand pull the weeds that are really close to your onions. Good luck, it will be worth it in the end. I've just finished last year's onions but still have shallots in store. Will grow more onions this year. Garlic last year was pathetic, but so was the weather. This year's is looking good at the moment, including some cloves or bulbs that got missed when clearing up (in fact they're looking better than the ones I planted - isn't that always the way!

[Benacre]

Keep the onions and Garlic free of Mulch because of rotting. I hoe in between my garlic Onions and Shallots with a triangular paint scraper.
Col.

[nick the grief]

I've got two 3 pronged doffers a bitg one & a little one and they are brill. I wouldn't mulch with manure as it will rot them off if it gets up round the bulbs. Also they would get to soft from all the excess nutrients & can fall prey to pests, diseases & they don't keep so well. a light ho ho hoeing is all they need at this time of year

[supersprout]

I hoe in between my garlic Onions and Shallots with a triangular paint scraper.
Col.

what a great idea for small spaces, thanks Benacre

[Geordie]

I use an onion hoe

[stv]

Wow! - thanks for the extremely quick responses, it seems the main consensus is to get hold of a three pronged oodjimaflip!? I think i know what you mean, and will try to track one down.

Stv

[nick the grief]

If you are feeling really well off, Wolf do abouth 3 different sizes (Ive got the big one & the lil'un and two different handles. The for B'day and Chrismas you can get some of the other attachments ( the seed bed thingy grindery type wotsit is good)

[Weavie]

I was weeding around onions and garlic today and used a "finger tool". Its a single pronged one of the three finger jobby. It was perfect for the job and for once, no accidents! My plants are in raised beds and I was able to sit on the sleepers. Not a full length tool so prob not so good for onions in a lottie. You could always improvise though and secure a strong bent piece of strong wire on a broom handle!

[Snadger]

The three pronged doofer, doffer, oajimafup,thingy, finger job is a Cultivator!!!!!

[Geordie]

Is that the one with batteries??