Onion Preparation

[Frana]

Any hints and tips on what would be the best nutrients to put into the ground now in preparation for a good onion yield next year.

I have heard tell it would be good to manure the ground well but any other secrets would be much appreciated folks.

[rustylady]

No secrets, just prepare the ground well - clear any perennial weeds. Add well rotted compost or manure.

[solway cropper]

One of the constituents of the oniony smell and taste is sulphur and some growers advise a light dusting of flowers of sulphur before planting or the addition of soot from a coal fire.

[coreopsis]

One of the constituents of the oniony smell and taste is sulphur and some growers advise a light dusting of flowers of sulphur before planting or the addition of soot from a coal fire.

My fingers will be even more blackThanks for the tip solway c

[womble]

I think soot from coal fires isn't a good thing to put on edible plants, even soot from wood fires has a bad image now, but ash from wood fires is supposed to be good for alliums, but it leaches out very quickly, so best saved and used when they are growing.

[gojiberry]

Have just planted autumn sets. The ground had a previous crop of potatoes and was dug over twice to make sure all the potatoes were up (bet I still missed a couple) the patch was then left for several weeks for the soil to settle. I then raked the ground to get a good tilth and remove any stones then went over the patch treading the soil down to create a firm soil for the onions. Then sprinkled 4oz per sq yd of blood fish and bone. Raked the surface again just to mix in the BFB then planted the sets. Have found that onions don't like fluffy soil so I always tread the surface.

Ian

[OllieMartin]

I think soot from coal fires isn't a good thing to put on edible plants, even soot from wood fires has a bad image now, but ash from wood fires is supposed to be good for alliums, but it leaches out very quickly, so best saved and used when they are growing.

"Although it has been used by gardeners over the years, it has been found to contain toxins, which are easily leached into the soil. On contact with plants, soot can cause severe damage to the growing tissue. It is also possible to cause health problems to whoever is handling the material."

[SarzWix]

You need to be careful with manure too. Not so bad if you spread it now, for spring planting, so it has time to rot down some more. But too much/too fresh manure has been linked with the development of onion white rot in some studies, and that's a nasty thing to end up with in your soil...

[zazen999]

I personally don't manure onion beds. I did a test last year of 9 onions in normal compost and 9 in manured compost; and the results were that the non-manured compost were much stronger come the spring.

I add sand into my soil; but then again I'm on clay so any additional drainage is good. Plus I add coffee grounds if I have any - onions just seem to thrive on them.

[Two_Sheds]

The best onion crop I had was from a bed that had grass clippings added the year before

[Newbie]

so what crop is best to follow with your autumn onion sets then?

[gojiberry]

Mine have gone into the potato bed.

Ian