Onions envy

[Gilberd]

Hi

Wanting to get large big onions after seeing the size of my allotments neighbours' onions last year I thought I had done everyone to get them to big this time, including growmore fertilizer and bunny manure.

However, looking at my growing onions they seem to only have 2 or 3 leaves whereas other peoples seems to have numerous leaves. What am I doing wrong?

Should I be using a nitrogen feed watered on now, as I heard it give more green leaves which in turn will make the onions bigger as it will have more leaves.

Help!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Onions are very hungry plants. I grew some large ones last year and the year before.

I grow in containers so started with MPC and mixed in some dried FYM and pelleted onion fertiliser. This was then supplemented with a nitrogen feed followed later in the year by potash. My best onion was close to 4lbs so I was quite pleased.

Hopefully Aberdeen Plotter will be along later to offer some more serious advice.

[Gilberd]

Thank you. I am struggling with finding a nitrogen feed. Is there one you recommend one please

[Potstubsdustbins]

One of the strongest IMO is Miraclegrow, useful for lots of other things to.

As I say I should wait for a post from AP he guided me and is the onion man round here and then follow his advice.

If you can find the thread 'Growing onions from seed' there is a wealth of info there.

[Scarlet]

I think this might be the thread Potty? Put your feet up Gilberd and grab a beer!

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eed_69067.html

[Potstubsdustbins]

That's the one, THANKS Scarlet

[Gilberd]

Thanks guys. I will have a read through it with a nice glass home brew

[Aberdeenplotter]

Gilbert, using a high nitrogen feed with onions will only result in soft leaf growth. Best to apply any feed you give in the compost mix and then just give water when needed. I use a half and half mix of general purpose compost and John innes three. I add some vermiculite to keep the compost mix open and also add a little slow release compost - a tablespoon per batch of 6 scoops each of gp/ji.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Glad your here AP the chap might stand a chance now

[Gilberd]

That's guys. Not a chap though but a chapet!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Sorry forgive my mistake. I should not assume that only guys want to grow big onions.

[Gilberd]

That's ok, however I am growing for my husband's benefit after being told last year how small they were! Although they were small but mighty in flavour

[veggiechicken]

Just remind your OH that size isn't everything
My onions usually grow into something slightly (but ony very slightly) larger than the sets I planted

[Kirk]

My onions are sort of feeble, except for a half row of 5 that seem to be doing reasonable at the moment. The problem I have is I thought they were garlics in there not onions, and have absolutely no recollection of planting them at all. They are growing happily behind a half row of shallots - which I do recall planting.

Present situation is:
No idea when they went in, no idea what they are, no idea who planted (me I suppose). But they look sort of happy enough.

Going to be interesting to see what transpires.

[chilli_grower]

Well here's mine so far...

I had to plant them out a little earlier than I would have liked, but I needed the room in the greenhouse....