Alliums: To water or not?

[Edwardo82]

Compost Corner, I have my onions and garlic in exactly the same condition to yours, of late the top surface of the soil has been getting really dry, so I have given them a good soaking. I was of the school of thought that all plants need watering in dry weather and also watering them would hopefuly bulk them up in the process.

They shallots got soaked a couple of months after planting the sets, as it apparantly increases yield but everything else has just had water when its rained, but I have now started to water in the dry weather, but only when the ground is very dry.

Fingers crossed we get some onions!

[lyndap]

Dont normally water my onions but was going to tonight cos ground quite dry,then saw weather forcast for next few days...rain,rain and possibly some more rain over next few days...think I'll wait and see!

[walshie]

This is not advice but only what is happening with my alliums. Down here in Germany we havent had a decent rain in yonks! the only rain we have had has evaporated in minutes. Since the dry weather my onions have swelled more than last year when i watered i also had 40% of them bolt last year, this year i have 1 plant out of 200 bolt. And my leeks that were put into a 6 inch hole (which i found a really strange idea) are doing very well considering the lack of rain. i am starting to worry now tho as we are not expecting rain till Saterday (2mm), my water butts, 1500ltrs, are dry and my soil is like a dessert. I am praying for rain or i will loose a lot of plants on my plot.