Yesterday I was out in the garden again. This time planting onions. The bed was a little harder than normal to prepare as it had a cover crop of vetch growing on it. The cover crop included oats and peas, but those aren't winter hardy, so only the vetch remained. I didn't want to turn it into the soil since I didn't have time to let it rot for a few weeks. Instead I pulled it. I tried to leave the roots in the ground, but many of them got pulled as the plant got pulled. There were lots of those light pink nodules on it that had set nitrogen. That made me happy.
The ground right near the fence still had a small section that was frozen, but by my calculation I wouldn't be able to fill in the whole area reserved for the onions. I had two flats of onions, each flat contained 72 onion plants. The first flat was filled with Copra onions. They are my main storage onions. The second flat was half Redwing, a red storage, and half Ailsa Craig, a sweet onion. I put all of my alliums in one 4'x 16' bed. I take about 5' for the garlic and the rest is for the onions. They are planted on a 6' grid. I ended up with about a foot at the end of the bed left over. I'm thinking of putting in some lettuce that I want to go to seed. Some of my seed is getting old, so it seems a good year to collect more. Usually you separate the plants about 12' to keep the line pure, but I've found that even lettuce plants that are right next to one another will not cross (in my garden, with the insects I have, yours might be different). I ought to be able to tell if they do cross as some lettuce has white seed and some black. If I get mixed colors out of some plants, I'll know I've got a problem.
As I was planting my onions it started to rain. I took the above photo just as it started so I could put the camera back inside. I stayed outside in the rain to finish. It only took a couple of minutes as soil blocks are so easy to plant. You can also see my stool in that photo. When I was younger I didn't use a stool, but I've gotten older and a stool really helps the knees. It isn't really a garden stool as a garden stool won't fit in my narrow paths. This one is actually from some medical supply place. It is the perfect size. I just hope it holds up for a long time.
I grow them in 1 1/2" soil blocks using Vermont Compost Company's Fort V mix. I start them at the end of January, so they have had about two months to grow. I use fluorescent lights, but they have been outside hardening off for a couple of weeks now.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Lou, those are some great looking onion transplants! I ordered mine this year and they are set to arrive next week.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting what you said about the lettuce and crossing. I've been afraid to try and save more than one a year. Maybe this year I will try a black seeded variety and a white seeded one. That would help me determine if they cross. I've got so many honeybees out and about, and I have seen them on the lettuce blossoms.
Lettuce self pollinates before the flowers open. However I'm sure, like beans, there are insects that can get into the flower and mess that up. But I haven't had the issue here. I think it all depends upon your local insect population.
DeleteCrossing would seem to be pretty infrequent with lettuce. I just read that breeder Frank Morton ties the flower stalks of different lettuce varieties together to get insects to cross pollinate them. My candidates for seed saving will all be within a couple of feet of each other, but they are unlikely to be blooming at exactly the same time either.
DeleteI love how you are able to do a little gardening each day. Your onions are off to a great start. It was nice of Mother Nature to water them in for you :)
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful. The stool seems like a good idea. I just spent some time grouting a tile floor yesterday, and shockingly, my body didn't like it.
ReplyDeleteAs always, your careful planning inspires me. Not that I'm going to follow it any time soon, but it's still inspiring.
Yes, Daphne, I also admire your scientific, methodical, tidy approach to gardening! That way you can be sure to maximise the yields from your plot.
ReplyDeleteYour onion plants look wonderful. I just planted a few bulbs or sets in a big barrel today. I need a stool now but I want one with the handles to help me get up!! Nancy
ReplyDeleteyou have probably mentioned this before in your posts but I was wondering what the wire things around the onions are used for?
ReplyDeleteTo keep the cats out of the bed.
DeleteI will be sowing my onion seed next month, although at the moment I have no idea where they will grow. I seem to have already run out of room and I haven't planted a good half of my winter crops.
ReplyDeleteI like the Fort V mix, it is my favorite seed starting mix.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking onions!!
ReplyDeleteThe newly planted onions look great and your soil looks even more awesome in that bed. Isn't it nice to be digging in the dirt again?!
ReplyDeleteYes it is wonderful to be out again. I really appreciate it more because of the long winter break.
DeleteThose are really nice and big transplants! Makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong with starting onions from seed...
ReplyDelete