help needed with onions and cabbages

[hamster]

The tops of my onions are really tall, and the bulb bit is really tiny, whats gone wrong are they any good? Ive got heavy soil and struggle with onions, they are in a sheltered position. Theyve been in the ground since March.

Is it okay to put cabbage seed straight in the ground, they are called greyhound, any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[Capsid]

Your onions are fine, the bulb will expand in good time. Can you explain why you struggle with them? What has been the problem?

Yes you can sow cabbage direct. Follow the instructions given here.

Cabbage : Summer/Autumn : Greyhound (Seeds)

[hamster]

Last year the onions were in a windy place, the soil isnt brilliant and its heavy, the slugs ate quite alot of them, out of 40 sturton onions most only doubled their original shop size, I think one managed to be 100grms, but that
was it!!!

This year I read I could start them off in modules, in the garage, they then went into the ground a whole month earlier under a cloche, which was removed in March, they had loads of roots, and now theyve grown so much Ive been worried that its all gone the other way.

[SarzWix]

Your onions won't be ready til August or so hamster, plenty of time. They grow lots of leaves first, and that's what you want because each leaf also forms another 'layer' of onion. It will be a while yet before they begin to swell out. If slugs/snails are a problem, are you doing anything to deter them? You could try the organic slug pellets, or put a barrier strip of bran or something sharp round the bed.

Cabbages can be sown direct into the soil, no problem

[lez]

I think your onions will be fine. I think it was medwyn williams who grows to show that said the more leaf the happier he was as they bulk up later in the year. I like to see plenty of green before they swell also. on cabbages and if your ground is as heavy as you say you may want to bring the cabbage on in pots or seedtrays as sowing direct into nice soft soil and being clay the soil could cap and no cabbage seedlings get though. (might not be slugs causing the probs) Regular hoeing and soil disturbance seems to upset slugs and if you add as much manure and compost etc to the ground you and your ground will benefit. I used to garden on heavy clay and over a period of two years adding plenty of manure got it workable. if you can get mushroom compost it's brill at conditioning soil give a covering of three inches on heavy clay in autumn and let it weather in over winter. you will be amazed when you turn the soil in spring. good luck.