shakespear autumn planting

Onion sets are very small bulbs which will grow into mature onions.  Onion  sets are often planted instead of onion seeds as they are thought to produce bigger onions.

Shakespeare - this variety of onion has:

• dark brown skins
• excellent skin quality
• good sized bulbs
• stores well
• harvest from early July
• over winters well

tips-showing

onion rows marked out

Shakespeare onions  are an autumn planting set.

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We think it is much quicker & easier to microwave beetroot.  Boiling takes so long!
Put 4 egg-sized beet in a microwaveable bowl, add about 3 tablespoons of water and cover. Microwave on full power for about 8 minutes, turning half way through cooking.  Remove the beet from the oven & rest for 2 minutes.  Drain then cool the beet in cold water.

Has anyone else tried microwaving beetroot?

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We have joined the Gro-Sure Challenge!

The Levis leek seed we have just sown were particularly easy to plant because:

• the seed have a clay or polymer coating making them larger and easier to handle than the normal tiny seeds – & they don’t blow about!
• seeds are coated blue – easy to see & easy to space in the row.

It was such a relief to have a stress-free leek sowing session that I took another look at the packet. They came in a Gro-sure packet so I decided to look Gro-Sure up to see what it meant– I am usually more sceptical of gimmicks!

 Apparently, Gro-sure seeds have been selected to provide:

• high germination
• disease resistance
• increased yields
• high quality
• longer flowering periods
• less bolting

If Gro-sure seeds fail to please, you get your money back!

The Gro-sure Challenge involves “trying Unwins Gro-sure seeds and seeing what great results you can achieve”!   There are monthly prizes to be won – so we have joined the Gro-sure challenge & here’s hoping!

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In 1975, the world’s heaviest onion weighed 4lb 15oz. The record  onion in 2010 is 16lb 8oz!!

William Robinson started the craze 100 years ago when he began developing giant vegetables on his father’s nursery.  He prefixed all his large vegetables with ‘Mammoth’.  Onions were one example of his mammoth veg.   The seed company grew and W Robinson & Son still sell the mammoth seeds, including onions, all over the world.

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For the first year ever, our leeks have rust disease.  Have you any advise for the prevention of this disease for next season?  Also is it OK to eat the parts of the leeks that aren’t affected by the rust, i.e. the white part?
 
Would appreciate your comments

bandit-cleaned-leek

TopVeg answered:

We are sorry to hear about your rust problems on leeks.  How bad is it?  Mild symptoms do not render the crop inedible – we just cut the affected leaves off before cooking.  The white bit will be fine.
 
There are several rust resistant leek varieties, such as Bandit. 

Bandit-leeks-growing

Causes of leek rust are:

• * crowded plants
  * high humidity
  * excessive soil nitrogen
  * insufficient soil potassium
  * poor garden hygiene – all plant debris must be removed from the beds so that the fungus has nowhere to hide.  Burn effected leaves rather than putting them on the compost heap, just in case the heap does not heat up enough to destroy the spores.

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CenturionOnionLeafBent

When the onion foliage bends over and turns yellowy, it is almost time to harvest onions. Leave them for two weeks, and then pull them on a dry day.

pulled-onions

The skin of the onion will turn shiny as it ripens, then it will be fit to store.

ripe-onions

If the weather is set fair the onions can be left outside to dry and ripen:

• on top of the soil or

drying-onions

• lifted up so that the air can circulate round them, such as tied to the washing line or sat on netting

new-onions

If it is a damp time, it is safer to move the onions under cover, where they can be hung up in an airy, dry place.

boxing-onions-for-drying

 Onions can be stored in a cool shed or garage.  The conditions necessary for onion storage are:

1. good air circulation
2. cool temperature
3. dry air

Store onions in:

• open trays

slated tray

• hessian sacks
• plaits – using their foliage to make the plaits, then hang the onion ropes up

store2

 Onions with thick, fleshy  necks will not keep & should be eaten first and not stored. 

If onions are not completely dry when they are put into storage there is a risk that they will develop neck rot.  This is when a fungus starts to develop around the neck area and gradually rots the onion from the neck down.  Onions must be checked for Neck Rot (latin name – Botrytis allii, B. squamosa and B. cinerea) regularly  in storage, & removed, because the rotting onions will destroy other  onion bulbs in storage.

 White onion varieties are more susceptible to neck rot, but red and yellow varieties may suffer. Garlic, shallots, chives, and leeks are also affected by neck rot.

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parsnips' long roots

The parsnip leaves are in perfect conditiom, but in previous years the parsnips never looked well and grew slowly.  We think the enviromesh must have kept the insects off the parsnips & these were the insects which caused unseen damage which resulted in slow growth.

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To Prepare  Beetroot for cooking:

• Pull the Beetroot when they are on the small side, as they have a better taste & texture.  The ideal size is that of a golf ball up to a cricket ball size.
• Twist off the leaves leaving 2″ of stalk.
• Leave the roots on.
• Wash the beetroot in cold water

 The Beetroot is now ready for cooking.  If you cut the leaves too close to the beet, or if you cut the roots, the beetroot will ‘bleed’ and all the red colour could be lost from the beetroot.  So just twist the leaves off, wash the whole beetroot, with roots & stubbs of leaf stalks attached

  beetroot-growing

• Put the un-cut beetroots into a saucepan
• Cover with cold water
• Bring to the boil
• Once boiling put a lid on the pan and leave to simmer gently for 1 hours, or 1.5 hours if beetroot is very big 
• Leave to cool
• Remove from water and gently scrape the skin off with fingers
• Serve sliced or cubed
• Some people like the beetroot to be covered in vinegar

Click this link for more cooking ideas for beetroot and recipes.

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• germination time is 6 – 10 days
• time between sowing & lifting is 6 – 12 weeks

turnip2

Ideal soil for turnips is:

• firm
• non-acidic
• well drained
• dug in autumn before planting
• in sun

Sow turnip seeds:

• from March to July depending on variety
• very thinly
• 1cm (1/2in) deep
• in rows 20cm (8in) apart (for early varieties)  30 cm (12in)  apart (for late varieties)

Thin seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle to:

• 25cm (10in) apart for maincrop
• 15 cm (6in) apart for earlies

To look after the growing turnips:

• remove weeds as they appear by hoeing
• water during dry periods, so bed always moist
• watch out for flea beetle

Harvest:

• 6 to 12 weeks after sowing – before too big
• May to September

turnip

Turnips are best when they grow quickly, so it pays to look after them and keep them growing.

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turnip2

swede

Swedes came from Sweden and were known as the Swedish turnip- & this name was shortened to Swede.  Swedes are frost proof, but turnips are not – so swedes can stay in the garden all winter & turnips must be harvested before the cold weather.

Swede – Latin name Brassica napus napobrassica

• swedes are bigger than turnips
• yellow/orange flesh
• roughish, coarser skin
• larger than turnips – more like an elongated coconut in size, or an adult shoe!
• crop over a very long time
• can be left in the soil throughout the winter
• withstand heavy frosts when in the ground
• sweet, mild taste
• originated from Sweden
• have a collar
• related to turnips

Turnip – Latin name Brassica rapa

• turnips are a fast growing crop, ready five to eight weeks from sowing to harvesting
• smaller than swedes – usually golf ball size or a little larger
• white flesh
• smooth, silky skin
• round shape
• require a higher level of fertility than swedes because grow faster
• crop earlier than swedes
• cannot stand hard frosts so must be lifted from ground in autumn

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