Save our Onions!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Oh dear - I knew that it was too good to last....we have our first - er - 'challenge' at the Hill with our onion sets!

I thought that the leaves on our sets were a bit thick and twisty, but a quick nosy around other plots showed that this seemed to be the norm so I wasn't unduly worried. But NO!

It seems that we are all affected by Stem and Bulb Eelworm which according to Hessyon is a 'microscopic soil-living pest', and - worst of all - the recommendation is 'don't bother with onions, then, for years'

This seems to be a new problem - because if this little Eelworm Johnny had been previously hanging around in the soil at the Hill, then no one would even try to grow onions!

So then, grapes - anyone have a cure/advice/suggestions?

[nick the grief]

Are you sure it's this Hazel? it couldn't be something a little less drastic? As to cures for it. You could steralise the soil bit drastic but it would work.

[Hazel at the Hill]

'Course I'm not sure Nick - newbie calling, remember

Barry who has had an allotment for about 100 years at the Hill and seems to know about these things says he thinks it is - and I've had a good look through Hessyan and it's the only picture that seems to match wot we've got.

I attach a photo, but it's not too clear - if it clears up later (haha!) I'll nip up to the Hill to get a better one. In fact - why didn't I think of taking a photo yesterday - it would have been a good idea!

I hope it's not the Eelworm thingy!

[jacob marley]

do not worry about it to much the only ones that have not got it on my plots are the winter onions planted two weeks before Christmas even the shallots are afected i blame them men up in the space station Jacob

[nick the grief]

'Course I'm not sure Nick - newbie calling, remember

Barry who has had an allotment for about 100 years at the Hill and seems to know about these things says he thinks it is - and I've had a good look through Hessyan and it's the only picture that seems to match wot we've got.

I attach a photo, but it's not too clear - if it clears up later (haha!) I'll nip up to the Hill to get a better one. In fact - why didn't I think of taking a photo yesterday - it would have been a good idea!

I hope it's not the Eelworm thingy!

Lol,

After I'd posted I thought it was a bit daft - I blame the weather.

If it is this a few years ago you coud have tried watering the whole bed with either ***** fluid or Armillartox - wait till you've got the onions up first but because of the EEC you can't do it.

This is the info they used to send out

[rustylady]

They don't look to bad to me, OK it's a small picture, but I would leave them in and see what happens. I usually find the onion leaves go really thick just before they produce a flower. If this happens (bolting) I just pick the flower bud off and use the onions as soon as they are big enough - they won't store well if they have bolted.

[SarzWix]

Found this information, if you pull one of the bulbs, you should be able to tell if that's what you've got...?

DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION
Symptoms In general, this nematode causes swellings and distortion of aerial plant parts and necrosisor rotting of stem bases, bulbs, tubers and rhizomes (see section on Biology). On Allium spp. (onions, garlic, leeks, etc.) Penetration of onion leaves by D. dipsaci causes leaf deformation and leaf swellings or blister-like areas on the surface. The leaves grow in a disorderly fashion, often hang as if wilted and become chlorotic. Young plants can be killed by high infestations. The inner scales of the bulb are usually more severely attacked than the outer scales. As the season advances the bulbs become soft and when cut open show browning of the scales inconcentric circles. Conversely, D. dipsaci on garlic does not induce deformation or swellings, but causes leaf yellowing and death (Netscher & Sikora, 1990).

This is where the info came from;
http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/nemat.../DITYDI_ds.pdf

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks for that, SW - I'll digest it when I'm feeling brainy and will go and take a proper pic tomorrow for further scrutiny!