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!

On 14 Aug, 13:13, Gopher wrote:
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!

Heh Heh! If it was as easy as that winning would be a random event
wereas the same people tend to win all he time! Many of these secrets
can be winkled out on the internet.
I am on the same mission with pumpkins. I downloaded a ot of stuff
from the USA but I suspect some is not relevent to our climate. This
is my first year, I have found out some stuff already. I think a main
one is you need to grow lots just to have a chance of hitting on a
good one. You need the right seed as well of course.
But you could start right he-
http://uk.ask.com/web?q=Grow+giant+o...=dir&s iteid=

Hi Gopher,

Both Onions and Pumpkin benefit from Micorrhizal Fungi, It is sold as Rootgrow. These fungi attach themselves to the roots of the plant and deliver much greater amounts of nutrient to the plant. In return the fungi receive soluble carbon from the plant roots.

The system by which this works is known as symbiosis as in both fungi and plant benefit from the association.

I have added two links, one to the purchase of Rootgrow and the other to a site which specifies plants which are Micorrhizal.

I hope that this information helps and look forward to hearing that you have won something!

Mycorrhizal fungi, rootgrow, rootgrowprofessional, plantworks

Plant List | Mycorrhizae: Soil fungi for your plant's root growth

Uriel 13

In message , uriel13
writes

Gopher;897320 Wrote:
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!

Hi Gopher,

Both Onions and Pumpkin benefit from Micorrhizal Fungi, It is sold as
Rootgrow. These fungi attach themselves to the roots of the plant and
deliver much greater amounts of nutrient to the plant. In return the
fungi receive soluble carbon from the plant roots.

The system by which this works is known as symbiosis as in both fungi
and plant benefit from the association.

I have added two links, one to the purchase of Rootgrow and the other to
a site which specifies plants which are Micorrhizal.

I hope that this information helps and look forward to hearing that you
have won something!

'Mycorrhizal fungi, rootgrow, rootgrowprofessional, plantworks'
(http://tinyurl.com/2bd6mkg)

'Plant List | Mycorrhizae: Soil fungi for your plant's root growth'
(http://tinyurl.com/2fmm6cb)


Uriel 13


Thanks for this. I have used Rootgrow for a couple of years for shrubs
and other plants which have roots and have found it generally pretty
effective. However I have never tried it for vegetables. Onion sets
don't really have proper roots - just the rounded part at the blunt end
:-)). Have you tried Rootgrow on onion sets with success. I guess
there's no reason why it should not be effective on tray or root-trainer
grown seedlings when planting out, although it's rather an expensive
medium. Have you, or anyone else in the ng used Rootgrow on onion sets
or any vegetable crop with success? It would be very interesting to
know.

BTW, I won a couple of things (inc. for shallots) but nothing for my
onions (the Radar) which were quite big and beautifully shaped but would
not "golden up" in time as I lifted them too late. Next year will be
different!!! ..... ;-))
--
Gopher .... I know my place!

Hi Gopher,

I always plant my onion sets using a bulb planter, I dig out a hole about 5 inches deep. To the hole I add a good handful of home made compost and a sprinkling of Rootgrow. I then place the set on top of the Rootgrow, cover with soil and water in.

It sounds a bit finicky but it works for me, the onions grown using this method are bigger and the plants seem healthier.

Most vegetables are micorrhizal the exceptions are Brassica and Turnip and Beets.

It is best to use organic fertilisers like Blood, Fish & Bone as Mycorrhizsa are killed off by N,P K fertilisers.

Hope this helps.

Uriel

In message , uriel13
writes

Gopher;897635 Wrote:
In message , uriel13
writes-

Gopher;897320 Wrote:-
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!-

Hi Gopher,

Both Onions and Pumpkin benefit from Micorrhizal Fungi, It is sold as
Rootgrow. These fungi attach themselves to the roots of the plant and
deliver much greater amounts of nutrient to the plant. In return the
fungi receive soluble carbon from the plant roots.

The system by which this works is known as symbiosis as in both fungi
and plant benefit from the association.

I have added two links, one to the purchase of Rootgrow and the other
to
a site which specifies plants which are Micorrhizal.

I hope that this information helps and look forward to hearing that you
have won something!

'Mycorrhizal fungi, rootgrow, rootgrowprofessional, plantworks'
('Mycorrhizal fungi, rootgrow, rootgrowprofessional, plantworks'
(http://tinyurl.com/2bd6mkg))

'Plant List | Mycorrhizae: Soil fungi for your plant's root growth'
('Plant List | Mycorrhizae: Soil fungi for your plant's root growth'
(http://tinyurl.com/2fmm6cb))


Uriel 13
-

Thanks for this. I have used Rootgrow for a couple of years for shrubs
and other plants which have roots and have found it generally pretty
effective. However I have never tried it for vegetables. Onion sets
don't really have proper roots - just the rounded part at the blunt end

:-)). Have you tried Rootgrow on onion sets with success. I guess
there's no reason why it should not be effective on tray or root-trainer

grown seedlings when planting out, although it's rather an expensive
medium. Have you, or anyone else in the ng used Rootgrow on onion sets
or any vegetable crop with success? It would be very interesting to
know.

BTW, I won a couple of things (inc. for shallots) but nothing for my
onions (the Radar) which were quite big and beautifully shaped but would

not "golden up" in time as I lifted them too late. Next year will be
different!!! ..... ;-))
--
Gopher .... I know my place!

Hi Gopher,

I always plant my onion sets using a bulb planter, I dig out a hole
about 5 inches deep. To the hole I add a good handful of home made
compost and a sprinkling of Rootgrow. I then place the set on top of the
Rootgrow, cover with soil and water in.

It sounds a bit finicky but it works for me, the onions grown using this
method are bigger and the plants seem healthier.

Most vegetables are micorrhizal the exceptions are Brassica and Turnip
and Beets.

It is best to use organic fertilisers like Blood, Fish & Bone as
Mycorrhizsa are killed off by N,P K fertilisers.

Hope this helps.

Uriel






Many thanks! Will experiment with the overwintering bulbs later this
year.


--
Gopher .... I know my place!