Ovewintering Onions - Recommended Varieties

[VirginVegGrower]

Hi all, I am looking to order sets and as I had a failed crop last year I could do with some advice. I planted sets of Japanese Senshyu and they all went soft. This year should I sow from seed, buy sets again, look at another variety - if so, which overwinter well considering the extreme weather we have now?

Thanks in advance.

[zazen999]

Radar always do well for me;; even considering the white rot.

[Aberdeenplotter]

My senshyu yellow did very well. Planted in October just before winter descended on us up here. We had some really savage frosts but loads of snow which probably insulated the onions against the worst of the winter ravages. I will plant these again this year but I am going to try using Tasco (available from Exhibition Seeds) to see how they do over wintered. I usually grow Tasco as a summer onion but it is marketed by Ex Seeds as an over wintering one.

[VirginVegGrower]

Do you think I was unlucky with Senshyu then AP and should I give it another whirl? Onions are one of our staple crops; soups, sauces etc. - I easily use three large onions a day.

Thanks Zaz - you're close to me - I will look for Radar. Does it store well?

[pauco]

I planted Senshyu as main crop, then various other sets in November. We had a harsh winter for this neck of the woods, lots of harsh frosts, and a fair amount of the white stuff, but all survived well.

paul.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Perhaps you were unlucky as Senshyu yellow is normally really reliable but if you had less snow than us and the same frost, the frost may have done damage. Why not try them again and also try something else as a hedge against failure. just cut three of my big onions.

These would keep you going a day or two (jar of jam for size comparison)

[Snadger]

...........These would keep you going a day or two (jar of jam for size comparison)

Didn't know you were growing shallots AP?

Another vote for Senshyu here................the first and still the best as far as I am concerned. Did really well for me this year.
Tried growing Senshyu from seed one year and I had really poor germination so it worked out dearer for the seed than it was for the sets. You live and learn spose!

[Aberdeenplotter]

The onion on the right is very poorly shaped and is destined to become onion rings but the other two will now be dried off and left for the skins to ripen to a lovely golden colour for a couple of weeks by which time the necks should be able to be tied tightly with natural rafia ready for the showbench. Fingers crossed at any rate.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Snadge, don't mention shallots. Finding them difficult to get dried off

[VirginVegGrower]

I am envious of your sizeable onions AP ...can I say that on here?! :-0
Just ordered Senshyu again along with Shakespeare(?), Electric (red skinned)(?) and Radar. Should keep us going and allow for some failure.
Any special tips AP for growing your OW onions, ground prep, care or feeding?! I really am a VVG with these :-)

[VirginVegGrower]

Am also looking at garlic - what's the difference please between a soft neck and a hard one (oops!)
Are they more susceptible to disease if soft necked? Any tried and tested varieties - we don't mind pungency and neither do the hens?!

[Aberdeenplotter]

I am envious of your sizeable onions AP ...can I say that on here?! :-0
Just ordered Senshyu again along with Shakespeare(?), Electric (red skinned)(?) and Radar. Should keep us going and allow for some failure.
Any special tips AP for growing your OW onions, ground prep, care or feeding?! I really am a VVG with these :-)

I usually try to plant my ow onions in ground where I have had spuds so very little grouind preparation is needed. I add no fertiliser as soft growth at that time of year isn't a good thing. Thereafter keep them weedfree and pray to the onion gods for a decent crop next time. He doesn't always listen but I do it anyway

[VirginVegGrower]

I usually try to plant my ow onions in ground where I have had spuds so very little grouind preparation is needed. I add no fertiliser as soft growth at that time of year isn't a good thing. Thereafter keep them weedfree and pray to the onion gods for a decent crop next time. He doesn't always listen but I do it anyway

Righto AP that fits with my rotation plan so will follow your guideline to the letter. Have just green manured my earlies but maincrops will be out of their bed by then. Thank you!

[Two_Sheds]

Radar did better than Senshyu for me this year. The best one I ever grew was Hi Keeper, which I'll be sowing next week
I'd like to try Troy too

[SarzWix]

Garlic:
hardneck = it grows a scape, or flower-head, doesn't store very well but you get good flavours and big cloves.
softneck = no scape, and stores well, tends to be smaller cloves.

I grow mostly softneck, because I want it to store. But have a few hardnecks for variety and use those up first.