do onions need earthing up?
Mine all seem to be trying to climb out of the ground for some reason! - the
tops are 18 inch high and the bulbs are about 2 inch diameter.

TIA

--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

"Phil L" wrote
do onions need earthing up?
Mine all seem to be trying to climb out of the ground for some reason! -
the
tops are 18 inch high and the bulbs are about 2 inch diameter.


I take it you haven't grown them before 'cause that's what they do, it's
normal, they grow and swell above ground once they have their roots down.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Bob Hobden wrote:
:: "Phil L" wrote
::: do onions need earthing up?
::: Mine all seem to be trying to climb out of the ground for some reason! -
::: the
::: tops are 18 inch high and the bulbs are about 2 inch diameter.
:::
::
:: I take it you haven't grown them before 'cause that's what they do, it's
:: normal, they grow and swell above ground once they have their roots down.

I've not grown them before but now I know, I'll earth them up tomorrow...on
a slightly related note, my garlic seem to be getting tall lately, are they
trying to 'bolt'?...they are in a greenhouse due to outside space
restrictions and they've never looked happy from day one, unlike my chilli
plants which are immense.


--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

"Phil L" wrote in message
. uk...
Bob Hobden wrote:
:: "Phil L" wrote
::: do onions need earthing up?
::: Mine all seem to be trying to climb out of the ground for some
reason! -
::: the
::: tops are 18 inch high and the bulbs are about 2 inch diameter.
:::
::
:: I take it you haven't grown them before 'cause that's what they do,
it's
:: normal, they grow and swell above ground once they have their roots
down.

I've not grown them before but now I know, I'll earth them up
tomorrow...on
a slightly related note, my garlic seem to be getting tall lately, are
they
trying to 'bolt'?...they are in a greenhouse due to outside space
restrictions and they've never looked happy from day one, unlike my
chilli
plants which are immense.


--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

No. Don't earth them up. Phil. never suggested that you do that. Leave
the onion grow naturally so that only its base is in contact with the
soil.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

In fact, a lot of people I know, use their finger to get the earth away from
the onions to expose them to the sun.

Dwayne

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...

"Phil L" wrote in message
. uk...
Bob Hobden wrote:
:: "Phil L" wrote
::: do onions need earthing up?
::: Mine all seem to be trying to climb out of the ground for some
reason! -
::: the
::: tops are 18 inch high and the bulbs are about 2 inch diameter.
:::
::
:: I take it you haven't grown them before 'cause that's what they do,
it's
:: normal, they grow and swell above ground once they have their roots
down.

I've not grown them before but now I know, I'll earth them up
tomorrow...on
a slightly related note, my garlic seem to be getting tall lately, are
they
trying to 'bolt'?...they are in a greenhouse due to outside space
restrictions and they've never looked happy from day one, unlike my
chilli
plants which are immense.


--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

No. Don't earth them up. Phil. never suggested that you do that. Leave
the onion grow naturally so that only its base is in contact with the
soil.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

"Phil L" wrote after
Bob Hobden replied to:
:: "Phil L" who wrote
::: do onions need earthing up?
::: Mine all seem to be trying to climb out of the ground for some
reason! -
::: the
::: tops are 18 inch high and the bulbs are about 2 inch diameter.
:::
::
:: I take it you haven't grown them before 'cause that's what they do,
it's
:: normal, they grow and swell above ground once they have their roots
down.

I've not grown them before but now I know, I'll earth them up
tomorrow...on
a slightly related note, my garlic seem to be getting tall lately, are
they
trying to 'bolt'?...they are in a greenhouse due to outside space
restrictions and they've never looked happy from day one, unlike my chilli
plants which are immense.


No! Please don't earth them up, please read what I wrote again, they grow
and swell as yours are doing above ground in the light/sun.
Garlic should be planted outside in September/October and if so will now be
hanging in the shed as mine are. They are as tough as it gets and are
probably the hardiest veg crop there is. This year has been our best Garlic
crop ever.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 06:37:29 -0500, "Dwayne" wrote:

In fact, a lot of people I know, use their finger to get the earth away from
the onions to expose them to the sun.

A questoner on GQT once asked why his onions weren't swelling. He was
asked if he buried the bulb when planting and when he said yes, he was
told that was the reason. The more of the onion which is exposed the
better they ripen.

Pam in Bristol

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Phil L" wrote after

Bob Hobden replied to:
:: "Phil L" who wrote
::: do onions need earthing up?
::: Mine all seem to be trying to climb out of the ground for some
reason! -
::: the
::: tops are 18 inch high and the bulbs are about 2 inch diameter.
:::
::
:: I take it you haven't grown them before 'cause that's what they do,
it's
:: normal, they grow and swell above ground once they have their roots
down.

I've not grown them before but now I know, I'll earth them up
tomorrow...on
a slightly related note, my garlic seem to be getting tall lately, are
they
trying to 'bolt'?...they are in a greenhouse due to outside space
restrictions and they've never looked happy from day one, unlike my chilli
plants which are immense.



No! Please don't earth them up, please read what I wrote again, they grow
and swell as yours are doing above ground in the light/sun.
Garlic should be planted outside in September/October and if so will now be
hanging in the shed as mine are. They are as tough as it gets and are
probably the hardiest veg crop there is. This year has been our best Garlic
crop ever.


I planted spring planting garlic in April, and I wouldn't have thought
it would be ready yet. The tips are just turning yellow now.

Rhiannon

"Rhiannon Macfie Miller" wrote after Bob Hobden wrote:

Garlic should be planted outside in September/October and if so will now
be hanging in the shed as mine are. They are as tough as it gets and are
probably the hardiest veg crop there is. This year has been our best
Garlic crop ever.


I planted spring planting garlic in April, and I wouldn't have thought it
would be ready yet. The tips are just turning yellow now.

Garlic should be planted in Sept/Oct not the spring and will grow throughout
the winter if the weather is above freezing. Some old books (and indeed old
gardeners) still say plant in the spring but they are wrong if you want good
heads. They probably didn't know how hardy it is.
If you plant it in the spring then you will only get small heads with small
cloves as it will stop growing about the same time anyway, i.e. now.
You've seen, or will see, what spring planted is like so later this year try
planting it in September and you will then see the difference.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Bob Hobden wrote:
:: "Rhiannon Macfie Miller" wrote after Bob Hobden wrote:
::
:::: Garlic should be planted outside in September/October and if so will
:::: now be hanging in the shed as mine are. They are as tough as it gets
:::: and are probably the hardiest veg crop there is. This year has been
:::: our best Garlic crop ever.
::::
:::
::: I planted spring planting garlic in April, and I wouldn't have thought
::: it would be ready yet. The tips are just turning yellow now.
:::
:: Garlic should be planted in Sept/Oct not the spring and will grow
:: throughout the winter if the weather is above freezing. Some old books
:: (and indeed old gardeners) still say plant in the spring but they are
:: wrong if you want good heads. They probably didn't know how hardy it is.
:: If you plant it in the spring then you will only get small heads with
:: small cloves as it will stop growing about the same time anyway, i.e.
:: now.
:: You've seen, or will see, what spring planted is like so later this year
:: try planting it in September and you will then see the difference.


Thanks to all who replied WRT the onions, I've left them as they are and
they appear to be doing well, even though the seeds were 5+ years out of
date (so were the tomatoes and they are now 6ft tall with 5 trusses of a
dozen fruits on each!)the sprouts are also 2ft high...sadly the same cannot
be said of: beetroot (2 from 25 grew), lettuce, 0 grew, none of the flowers
and none of the courgettes...I guess some seeds are indestructable and some
are a bit flimsy!

The garlic are in a GH and don't seem to be doing much...I don't use much of
it so I can just leave it in for now, until I need it, but I'll definately
plant some new ones in September

--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

In article , Phil L
writes
I guess some seeds are indestructable and some
are a bit flimsy!

Yes, exactly right. Poppy seeds, for example, live many years in the
soil, waiting to be flung to the surface where their germination is
triggered by light (a mechanism to give them a good chance of growing in
bare soil), beans and peas are viable for several years, some members of
the umbelliferae (eg parsley and parsnips) need to be sown fresh.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Rhiannon Macfie Miller" wrote after Bob Hobden wrote:


Garlic should be planted outside in September/October and if so will now
be hanging in the shed as mine are.

I planted spring planting garlic in April, and I wouldn't have thought it
would be ready yet. The tips are just turning yellow now.


Garlic should be planted in Sept/Oct not the spring and will grow throughout
the winter if the weather is above freezing.

Yes, I know. But I couldn't plant it in Sept/Oct, as I wasn't living
here then (see some of my earlier posts on this group). So I ordered a
variety that the catalogue said was for spring planting and would be
ready at the end of the summer. I'll dig it up in a month or so and see
what I've got, and plant some autumn-planting garlic in the autumn.

Rhiannon