I have just lifted my crop of shallots and onions. While the shallots
have done better than they have ever done - huge bulbs - the onions have
done worse, some hardly growing at all from the sets that I planted.
Both were planted in the same bed.

Does anyone have any idea why this should be?

David

--
David Rance
writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France

"David Rance" wrote ...
I have just lifted my crop of shallots and onions. While the shallots have
done better than they have ever done - huge bulbs - the onions have done
worse, some hardly growing at all from the sets that I planted. Both were
planted in the same bed.

Does anyone have any idea why this should be?

None what so ever, our shallots (both French type) have done well and our
onions are enormous, bigger than they have been for many years, strong too.
What variety did you grow, different from normal?
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Rance" wrote ...
I have just lifted my crop of shallots and onions. While the shallots have
done better than they have ever done - huge bulbs - the onions have done
worse, some hardly growing at all from the sets that I planted. Both were
planted in the same bed.

Does anyone have any idea why this should be?

None what so ever, our shallots (both French type) have done well and our
onions are enormous, bigger than they have been for many years, strong too.
What variety did you grow, different from normal?
Gardening is full of mysteries. I have grown onions, shallots, pickling
onions and garlic all in the same bed. All have done better for me this
year, except the garlic which are wee. Mind you watching a tv programme
the other evening from the Isle of Wight they were interviewing a garlic
grower who said that garlic do well on the IoW because they need lots of
light, well that has been short this year!

--
Please reply to group,emails to designated
address are never read.

On Wed, 12 Aug 2009, Bob Hobden wrote:

I have just lifted my crop of shallots and onions. While the shallots have
done better than they have ever done - huge bulbs - the onions have done
worse, some hardly growing at all from the sets that I planted. Both were
planted in the same bed.

Does anyone have any idea why this should be?

None what so ever, our shallots (both French type) have done well and our
onions are enormous, bigger than they have been for many years, strong too.
What variety did you grow, different from normal?

Not sure what they were as the label has faded but I think they were the
same as last year. They are of a spheroid shape (like the earth but not
as big - i.e. flattened at the poles!).

David

--
David Rance
writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France

"Broadback" wrote
Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Rance" wrote ...
I have just lifted my crop of shallots and onions. While the shallots
have done better than they have ever done - huge bulbs - the onions have
done worse, some hardly growing at all from the sets that I planted.
Both were planted in the same bed.

Does anyone have any idea why this should be?

None what so ever, our shallots (both French type) have done well and our
onions are enormous, bigger than they have been for many years, strong
too.
What variety did you grow, different from normal?
Gardening is full of mysteries. I have grown onions, shallots, pickling
onions and garlic all in the same bed. All have done better for me this
year, except the garlic which are wee. Mind you watching a tv programme
the other evening from the Isle of Wight they were interviewing a garlic
grower who said that garlic do well on the IoW because they need lots of
light, well that has been short this year!


Our Garlic, Germidour and Thermidrome (sp?), also did very well this year
except for one variety, Marco, which didn't grow at all, useless. Obviously
this year sorted the men from the boys, variety wise.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

On 13 Aug, 09:45, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-08-13 08:06:25 +0100, Broadback said:



Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Rance" wrote ...
I have just lifted my crop of shallots and onions. While the shallots
have done better than they have ever done - huge bulbs - the onions
have done worse, some hardly growing at all from the sets that I
planted. Both were planted in the same bed.

Does anyone have any idea why this should be?

None what so ever, our shallots (both French type) have done well and
our onions are enormous, bigger than they have been for many years,
strong too.
What variety did you grow, different from normal?
Gardening is full of mysteries. I have grown onions, shallots, pickling
onions and garlic all in the same bed. All have done better for me this
year, except the garlic which are wee. Mind you watching a tv programme
the other evening from the Isle of Wight they were interviewing a
garlic grower who said that garlic do well on the IoW because they need
lots of light, well that has been short this year!

I was trying to remember the name of the variety he was growing that
comes from Russia. *I think the name become with an 'M' and AFAIR, it
was said to be especially pungent. *And what about that elephant garlic!
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

I have never tried elephant garlic, but watching the programme I
wondered whether they actually tasted as strong as the smaller bulb
varieties? The variety we have is Solent Wight which have done quite
well, but our onions this year have been decimated by the wet weather
in July. Many have just rotted inside and I am mounting a desperate
struggle to dry the remaining ones out enough so they will keep long
enough through the Autumn for me to use them.

"sutartsorric" wrote ...

I have never tried elephant garlic, but watching the programme I
wondered whether they actually tasted as strong as the smaller bulb
varieties? The variety we have is Solent Wight which have done quite
well, but our onions this year have been decimated by the wet weather
in July. Many have just rotted inside and I am mounting a desperate
struggle to dry the remaining ones out enough so they will keep long
enough through the Autumn for me to use them.

Elephant Garlic isn't Garlic it's a leek cousin so does not taste like
garlic at all. Mild and leeky, we grew it once and won't bother again.
We tried Solent White a few years ago and weren't impressed with their
growth, taste or keeping ability.

Your onions shouldn't rot inside no matter how wet it's been in July, have
you got White Rot on your land? White fluffyness near the base of the bulb,
roots rotted off, bulb eaten into or even soft, squidgy and smelly.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London