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I've had another bad year with my onions. Last year, I had a go at growing from seed, but they didn't like the wet weather and hardly grew. This year, I decided to hedge my bets, I wanted to have a go at growing from seed again, but I also decided to put some sets in. You can see the largest set grown ones in the middle tray along with ones on the left which are typical of the size that most of them have grown to. These are the variety Setton. On the right you can see the Bedfordshire Champion onions I grew from seed. They've done even worse than the sets. I'll still be able to use them, but they won't go far. The red onions - Red Baron didn't do anything at all. I think the problem this year was that I was late planting them out owing to the cold start to the year. I'd started them off in cells in the cold greenhouse but delayed planting them out when the ground was cold and wet which held them back. I think I'll give up on seeds now. I shall plant sets again next year and hope that I don't have three rubbish years in a row.
My squash plants haven't done very well again this year either. There's some small fruit on the Queensland Blue but they're not going to reach maturity and only one fruit on the Crown Prince. The Sunburst patty pan hasn't produced much either. Another thing I'm going to have to try harder with next year.
We had a bit of a lull with birds visiting the garden but they all seem to be coming back again. I have a feeder which attaches with suction cups to the window and I have a cheeky collared dove which comes and eats all the seed out of it. He's quite a heavy bird, you can hear a thud as he lands. The coal tits like the window feeder too, and I've also had a baby goldfinch on this particular feeder. It's great to see the birds feeding up close.
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I applaud you for sticking with growing onions from seed for so long! I am always in awe of the tenacity of gardeners - it takes a few tries before we give up on plants/ways of growing things. I am sorry about your squash, especially as it seems to have been such a lovely summer for them. I almost daren't confess that we are in the midst of a squash glut. I can't claim any credit for it; there were pigs on the land for many years, so I think they are enjoying our extremely fertile soil.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have noticed an increase in the number of birds coming into the garden in the past week or so.
Growing from seed was worth a try, but there's nothing to be gained from it in my experience, I'll stick to sets from now on. I'm glad to hear that you're having more luck with squash than I am, but this is one thing I will persevere with as we all like squash here. I think the birds must be stocking up for winter.
DeleteGardening can be a frustrating hobby sometimes, but we are a persistent breed and don't give up easily!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good job we don't, there isn't much I'd be growing if we did. There's always something which doesn't do very well each year, I wonder what it will be next year.
DeleteMy shallots are just as bad, I didn't even attempt onions! I'm interested in your window feeder as I've seen them but always wonder if the birds will actually use them that close to the house - obviously they do!
ReplyDeleteI've had the same experience with my shallots too. I love my window feeder. I have trees and shrubs quite close to the window and the birds were already used to using feeders hung on them when I introduced the window feeder. The birds don't use it as often as the other feeders, but it's lovely to see them feeding so close.
DeleteI don't grow onions, but I have tried shallots from seed. Hopeless. I wonder if it works at all in this country? Maybe in the south east. Hey ho. Sets next year.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much success with growing from seed, I'm calling it a day. It's sets for us both next year.
DeleteHi Jo, I love watching the wild birds feed at the feeders . Our hummingbirds just left for the season to go back to warmer parts . I shall miss seeing them.
ReplyDeleteHummingbirds are amazing little creatures, I'd love to have them here. It must be exciting when you see the first of the year after their absence.
DeleteI'm sorry to see that you didn't fare well with onions this year. I grow mine from sets and usually do well, although this year they were mostly smaller than usual.
ReplyDeleteLucky you with the coal tits and goldfinch as I don't see either here.
Both the sets and seeds haven't fared well this year. I shall grow only sets from now on and hope they do better next year. I have lots of regular feathered visitors, I'm really lucky.
DeletePah ! veg ! There are some years when I think I would have been better popping down to the veg shop ! Cheaper too ! What is it that drives us on ? Cussed awkwardness on my part I think !!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and leaving a comment. You're so right about some things, it would be so much cheaper to buy them than grow them, though there's the taste to consider. Most home grown veg tastes far superior to anything you can buy in the shops. You've really got to have a love of it, or else you wouldn't continue when the cards are down.
DeleteOh what a shame Jo but the slow arrival of spring can't have helped. I only grew a small number of red onions from seed for use as salad onions this year and they were ok. My shallots did reasonably well though but they were sets. Every year is different isn't it :)
ReplyDeleteI'm putting all my failures, right or wrong, down to the slow arrival of spring. It's good to have something to blame them on. Well done on your red onions, I've never been successful with them, even sets. I'll try again next year.
DeleteOur problem is we get white rot on our onions nearly every year. It's a real pain and very little we can do about it. The trials and tribulations of growing huh?
ReplyDeleteThat's really bad, White Rot stays in the soil for years, if I remember correctly, so as you say, there's very little you can do. I think in your situation I'd give up and devote the space to something else. I always say there's always something out there to get you, if it isn't pests, it's diseases.
DeleteFunnily enough I have an onion post prepared which will show similar results to your in some cases. Red onions always seem harder to grow than the yellow ones.
ReplyDeleteI've never had any success with red onions, even spring onions, though I've still got some seed left so I'm going to give them another go next year. I'll probably try Red Barons again next year too, though I won't hold out much hope. I wonder why I find it so hard to grow red onions.
DeleteI just think generally they are more fussy - not really down to you.
DeleteOther people manage it though, I haven't ever grown one decent red onion. I'm not giving up though.
DeleteI forgot to pick my spring onions and they grew big onion sized so we've been eating those as normal onions this year. There's only a few left and I doubt if they'll keep so we'll eat them all up. We have not luck with proper onions as they tend to rot in the soil.
ReplyDeleteLove from Mum
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I leave my spring onions to bulb up a little before I pull them, I prefer them this way. I've sown some more recently, I don't know if they'll come to anything before the bad weather sets in, but if not, they'll be fine in spring.
DeleteWe've also got lots of birds coming back into the garden now after their late summer holidays. Lots of baby goldfinches enjoying our sunflower hearts.
ReplyDeleteI think the birds must forage seed heads when they're available instead of raiding the feeders. There's lots of baby goldfinches here, it's lovely to see them.
DeleteI had a patty pan which suddenly stopped producing. Just as well, as I'm not quite sure what to do with them. I might get my eldest a window bird feeder for his birthday next month, as he is such a mad keen birdwatcher.
ReplyDeleteI love patty pan squash, I just cut them up and drizzle them with oil before roasting them. They're a veg which we all enjoy so it's a shame we didn't get a bigger harvest. My son had a bird table bought as a present when he was young. He was a keen birdwatcher too, though he's not as bothered now that he's eighteen. I think a window bird feeder would be a lovely gift for your son if he enjoys watching birds.
DeleteI'm afraid I gave up on onions this year and have lots of leeks instead. I have been buying onions instead, at £1 a bag I thought I would give myself a break from the disappointment for a year.
ReplyDeleteI'll be back trying next year in our new place though, maybe seed maybe sets I'm not sure yet, but I WILL have a go.
I never got round to transplanting my leeks so they're one thing I'm without this year which is a shame as they're a great winter veg. I'll be giving onions another go next year but it will definitely be sets.
DeleteI'll cry along with you Jo, my onions are a washout too, I never seem to have much luck with them.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have a baby goldfinch, I just love them.xxxx
Let's hope we both do better with our onions next year. There's so many baby goldfinches in the garden at the moment, they're such cuties.
DeleteSorry to hear your onions have not been a success this year. My husband has been lifting ours along with potatoes because of the wet weather ready to store.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had some success with birds visiting our garden. We have one of those little houses with a suction for the garage window and have put a half coconut shell full of nuts and fat high up on a tree but nothing doing. I think they're enjoying themselves in our neighbours thick bushes especially as there are plenty of berries on the rambling roses and hawthorn for them to eat.
I only grew a few potatoes in the ground this year, but they've been lifted now before they spoil. Don't give up on the birds, there's lots of food around at the moment, but they'll be thankful for whatever you put out for them soon when the bad weather comes.
DeleteIt's a shame not to have a glorious harvest after your hard work, Jo, but good that you haven't given up! I had very small onions this year, planted late due to the weather, like yours. I grew white onions as they seem to be a bit more expensive than the others in the shops, obviously this only works when there's a good big harvest!
ReplyDeleteI've had other things which have given a good harvest this year, and as they say, you can't win them all. I'll try with sets again next year and hope they do better.
DeleteI'd forgotten about that cold spell earlier this year that delayed all our planting! My red onions never do as well as my white ones. I stick to Turbo sets from wilko's and they've not let me down yet but every year is different and I swear that veggies have a mind of their own and never fail to 'surprise' me!
ReplyDeleteI had everything hanging on to be planted out at the start of the year, hard to remember now after the lovely summer we had. Veggies do seem to have a mind of their own, if only we could make them do as we want.
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