All Year Round Onions

[Geordie]

Andrewo,

I agree with your thoughts on crop rotation.....I only keep my onion bed as purly that because I grow exhibition (large) onions on it, so it needs to build up strong trace elements which can only be achieved through time. My standard and Japenese onions are rotate with the rest of my crops.

[JennieAtkinson]

I've been reading this with interest. Can someone tell me ... if I am rotating my crops on a yearly basis, can I plant the summer and winter crop in the same bed, ie summer cabbage and then winter cabbage and then rotate the following year. From what you are saying above about onions, I shouldn't be doing that.

I have just about got my three year rotation plan sorted, so if I shouldn't be doing this I will have to start all over again !

[Lesley Jay]

Jennie summer and winter cabbages are sown and planted at the same time. The winter cabbages take longer to grow to full size and then normally (depending on the variety) they will stand in the ground for a few months which gives you time to use them.

[andrewo]

Cabbages

Aha, I have been reading about these and you can plant in the same bed, as was pointed out winter cabbages take longer to grow, so there's no worry about these. I am planning to grow mine between my herbs and see how they do.

Andrewo

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks Lesley - I didnt know that! Last year I didnt sow my winter cabbages until late summer and planted out in october. Probably why they are not very big.

Sooo much to learn ....

[poultrychat]

Run out of Room

I've run out of room again My autumn onions aren't quite ready to be picked and if this weather keeps up it may be a while yet - they can be picked for immediate use but not for storing and trying to dry them out in the sun well I think only a sun bed would be able to do that right now but I have brussels, cabbage and brocolli plants to get out of the greenhouse so I have started planting them inbetween the onions - is this going to cause me any problems as obviously I haven't manured the ground since last autumn and these are all greedy plants aren't they?