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Post by ottawagardener on Jul 3, 2012 18:06:52 GMT -5
Could be the heat, or my soil conditions or a combo but my onions are all maturing too early this year so that the bulbs are too small. All my onion seedlings (as opposed to starts) were eaten by earwigs (this invertebrate's not feeling like sharing this year) so I can't comment much to my aggravation as to what they would be like. Anyhow, I need some really great onion recommendations for Long season onions.
I'm at 45 degrees North.
Anyhow, I'm on the hunt to breed some better onions - don't care the colour just want some that grow well in potentially dry, sandy conditions and store well. Size counts as my family don't like fiddly little ones. Ironically, my bunching onions/shallots are doing well this year.
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Post by steev on Jul 3, 2012 22:26:07 GMT -5
Couple years ago, I grew some white cipollini onions, the kind that come 2" diameter and 1/2" thick. They grew 9" diameter and 2"+ thick.
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Post by paquebot on Jul 3, 2012 23:51:08 GMT -5
Best storage onion for long day zone is Copra. Decent size and will last a year under certain conditions. That's a yellow one. Best red would be Red Wing. Borettana could be good size for a white but storage not as long as Copra or Red Wing.
Martin
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jul 4, 2012 4:14:49 GMT -5
I would need 120 lbs of large onions for a whole year. Good luck with this one Telsing. I've got a few seed onions started for a primary experiment. I haven't done well with onions from seed just yet. Sets do ok, but only in a limited amount.
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Post by swamper on Jul 4, 2012 7:59:08 GMT -5
ailsa craig grows very large and deliciously sweet, but it doesnt store well. if you want a large onion that will store well, try candy. I've found i get my best results from starting seeds in january in 72 cell trays. i find that bare root starts dont catch up to seedlings. i plant on 8" centers often 2 plants per cell. i carefully thin one at the scallion stage.
I'm in Connecticut and I'm sure these same onions grow well in Maine. Ailsa Craig is always the bragging onion at the MOFGA Common Ground Fair. They get larger than grapefruits, sometimes a lot larger. Enrich you soil with compost and aim for pH just below 7.. Sand combined with high pH can mean boron deficiencies which wont help your cause.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jul 4, 2012 19:26:39 GMT -5
Telsing, I did onion trials this year and I have several packages left of Long Day Onions. So, before you buy any, PM me and I'll send them on to you.
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Post by ottawagardener on Jul 4, 2012 19:36:23 GMT -5
Thanks, I will!
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 4, 2012 20:20:23 GMT -5
It must be the bugs because I am finally having a great onion year again. Last one was 2009. I have them planted in black plastic to help with weeds and sand. Only my Walla Wallas are flopping now but the storage onions are looking good. I will not grow Candy as it is a Seminis variety but like Copra and cippolini and am trying Redwing this year. Also have torpedo onions. I had horse manure worked into the area, high P and K levels, so I did no fertilzing except a little corn gluten at planting and probably humic acid since I put that everywhere this year. Hmm forgot about that...
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Post by bvillebill on Jul 10, 2012 15:49:13 GMT -5
I'm growing a variety called Newburg, which is supposed to be a "de-hybridized" version of Copra. I'm at exactly 45 north and I started the seeds last September then transplanted the seedlings in March. Right now they're averaging about 3"-4" in diameter with some up close to 6" so they're looking really good. I can't vouch for the storage ability yet but it's claimed to be very good and considering the parents it should be. Seeds came from www.adaptiveseeds.com |
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Post by ottawagardener on Jul 11, 2012 11:24:42 GMT -5
Thank you bvillebill. I"ll look into those.
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