Onions Away............

The first crops of the year are in!

Three rows of "Delvdad" shallots, and four rows of "Sturon" onions. I grew Sturon last year and the results were pretty impressive. Good, big, uniform onions that have kept very well.
The planting instructions for both varieties, and other plotholders at RC, favour leaving them sticking halfway out of the soil. Though it may be just the arrogance of a beginner I don't go much on this, and like to bury mine a bit deeper so the soil just covers the top of the dead stalks on the sets. Firstly it stops birds pulling them all up in mistake for nesting material; and secondly I think that in a dry summer like last year, it helps to have their roots a little deeper so they don't "dry & fry" after you have watered them. I also like to space them out a couple of inches further each way than suggested, as they benefit from regular hoeing....and I have big feet.

I'm not setting myself up as an onion aficionado, but in the last two years mine were as good as anyone's on the site....Stick with what works I reckon.