PLANT ONIONS AND GARLIC
Ruth highlights the different options for these GYO favourites
FOR the past two years, we have successfully grown generous crops of onions and shallots (smaller onions that grow in clusters and are used for pickling). This year we also harvested a good supply of garlic, all grown in raised beds.
Now it’s time to plant the next batch. I could wait until spring, but if you get your onion sets (small bulbs) in the ground now they will crop earlier than those planted next spring.
Garlic can be planted from now until April, though many gardeners swear by getting their cloves in the ground before Christmas Day for the best results.
Growing onions from seed sown in winter is another option worth considering. There are pros and cons to both ways of cultivation. Growing from sets is easier and less labour-intensive as you simply pop them in the ground, protect them from pests, then feed, weed and water when necessary.
Seeds are cheaper, and you are likely to find a wider range of available varieties. However, you need to put in more work while the seedlings grow and they do take up valuable space in the greenhouse and on windowsills.
When planting garlic, first decide whether you want the soft neck or hard neck variety. The former tend to store better than the latter, though hard neck types also develop an edible neck or ‘scape’, which can be used in salads and stir fries, and which isn’t grown by soft neck bulbs.