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Old Geezer the Gardening Guru: Planting onions

Thursday, 3 November 2011 4:05 PM

By Old Geezer

The last few days of decent weather usually produce scenes of frantic activity in the garden. There is always 'that little job' which gets forgotten.

One of the things people often leave too late is the planting of autumn onion sets (small, immature onions).

It is a simple task although it is worth taking a little extra time preparing the ground and removing any stones. Onion sets definitely do better in fine, soft soil.

Using your line to keep the rows straight, take out a shallow drill using the corner of your hoe - only about an inch deep. Some people use a dibber, which is fine, but I prefer the 'mini trench'.

Plant your onion sets about six inches apart in this little trench, gently pushing them in so only the tops are left showing. If it is a bit hard pressing them in I use a finger to make a small hole then gently firm the soil around the bulb so that it is nice and compact in its hole.

Do not cover them up; leave about a quarter of the bulb exposed. Rows should be a foot apart; I use my foot to measure this gap between the rows. As I've said before - I'm less likely to mislay my foot than I would a measuring stick!

Keep an eye on the sets for a week or two. Onion sets have a habit of 'un-planting' themselves overnight, often ending up upside down a few inches away.

Birds usually get the blame for pulling them up. The real culprits are actually worms. These night crawlers think the little tuft of dead leaves on the top of the set is a handy meal and try to drag this into their subterranean home to scoff at their leisure.

This may be annoying, but simply replant them and all will be well. And don't blame the poor birds; they get enough hassle as it is.

As for onion varieties, it is mostly oriental – Japanese or Chinese. It really depends on your tastes, strong or extra mild. My best advice is to ask at the garden centre when you buy them.

That's it for this week, other than to remind you to run your hoe between any crops you have already planted taking care not to disturb the crops.

It is amazing how many weeds seeds will be germinating at this time of year. A quick shuffle around on a sunny afternoon will kill most of them; much easier than waiting until they are an inch or more high.

Happy hoeing!

All the best, Old Geezer.

Next week – getting ready for winter, if it's not already here!

Old Geezer (Paul Rix) is the author of 'Beyond the Potting Shed' a comprehensive guide to growing your own. Available from all good book shops or Amazon.

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