Last November I resolved to make a real effort for our 2010 local flower
show (today) and produce some stonking onions. Just for fun. So I bought
Centurion sets - recommended "for the show bench" - planted a dozen in
large pots filled with a mixture of good loam topsoil, well rotted
manure and sharp sand. They received regular feeding and lots of TLC.
Well, they grew OK but no bigger or better than the rest of the packet
which prospered normally in my normal soil. Nothing spectacular. So I
have entered some Radar into the show. They grew beautifully having been
planted as usual and am waiting for the result right now (the show
doesn't open until 2.30pm). What surprised me when lifting the pot
planted Centurion was that, while the onions themselves were quite
reasonably sized (diameter c. 12 ins.) but not at all "special", the
root systems were enormous. Most had roots exceeding 18 ins long, a vast
system with many of the roots being extremely thick and well developed.
It seemed as if the plant concentrated on growing roots rather than
bulking up the bulb. Any thoughts on what I should do next year to
reverse the process - other than planting them upside down!?
--
Gopher .... I know my place!