ONIONS
One of the most popular crops for the gardener. The family covers such a wide range of types from Chives small pickling bulbs, salad or spring onions, traditional cooking onions for fresh use and winter storage. ‘Japanese’ varieties for autumn sowing and summer use, brown, yellow and red skinned types and as well as seed sown varieties there are sets and shallots for planting out in February for an early crop. Normally sown direct into the growing site in shallow drills 2cm deep with 25-30cm between rows for bulb onions. 10cm for salad onions. This gradually to 10cm between plants. Salad onions should not need thinning. Do not sow ‘Japanese’ varieties before mid-August and thin in the spring. Seeds can be sown in modules under glass in January or February at 15 degrees C. sowing 6-8 seeds per modules, harden off and plant out in March or April. Always thin carefully and remove all debris so as not to attract onion fly.