...Onions & Garlic
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What is the Difference Between an Onion and a Shallot?
Unlike onions where each plant forms a single bulb, a shallot forms a cluster of bulbs, similarly to that of garlic. However unlike garlic which is covered in a single membrane, whereby you break open the garlic, shallots are clustered individually. Shallots are much smaller than onions. Shallots tend to be more expensive than onions to buy.
Shallots are used extensively in cooking. They tend to have a more intense delicate flavour than an onion. Cooked whole they are a superb addition to casseroles. They can be pickled and used in salads.
Onions have a strong distinctive flavour and tend to sweeten in the process of cooking. The common onion is a vital base for many dishes. It is used widely in a whole range of culinary dishes. Onions come in a variety of forms and colours.
Onion Shallot
The Onion Family
Growing your own onions will allow you to experience a far tastier product than can be bought in the supermarkets, which on times can be bland. The onion family is a versatile and popular one. Cooking without the humble onion would not be the same. For example the onion is acidic and it is this quality that softens meat in the cooking process, making it a perfect addition to any casserole.
Also the size of the onion that you grow is determined by the spacing. The closer you plant your onions the smaller they will grow. Give them more space and the larger your crop will be.
Growing Onions from Sets or Seed?
Sets are a great starting place for beginners. Sets are small immature bulbs which increase in size during the growing season. The sets give you a head start on the season, they are more disease resistant and even if they go in late they will still produce a crop. On the other hand seeds are cheaper and for many more experienced gardeners they like to see the whole process from beginning to end.
Shallots however are rarely grown from seed. Cultivation is very similar to growing onions except they like a little longer in the ground.
Growing Onions from Sets
Prepare the soil ideally a couple of months before by digging over, clearing of any weeds and adding manure. Plant out the sets in mid spring. Plant the sets in shallow drills about 2cm (3/4”) deep and put the onion sets about 15cm (6”) apart with the rows 15-20cm (6-8”) apart. Just cover the onion sets in soil so that the necks are just protruding.
In some areas where birds are a problem it would be advantageous to cover with netting to stop birds from lifting them out.
Keep the rows watered and regularly weeded. Hand weed between the onions in rows.
Harvesting & Storage
When the leaves start to change to a yellow colour and die back then the onions are ready for harvesting. Don’t bend over the leaves to speed this up. Allow the leaves to continue to die back. Lift the onions out of the ground. If the weather is fine allow the onions to dry in the sun. This can take a number of weeks. If the weather is wet, store in a cool dry place, either by hanging or spreading out in a greenhouse or shed.
Do not cut off the leaves of the onions at this stage as you will need that length for stringing once dry.
To store, string the onions one above the other by attaching to a length of rope or strong string. Hang them in a cool dry place. Alternatively hang them
in bags of nylon or string netting.
Pests & Diseases
Onions suffer from a number of fungal diseases. It is advisable to rotate the area they are grown in every year.
ONION NECK ROT – A grey fluffy fungal growth around the neck area which leads to softening of the tissue.
ONION WHITE ROT – A dense white fluffy growth around the root and base of bulb. Remove and destroy infected plants from area. Do not grow onions in same spot. The soil can remain contaminated for many years.
ONION FLY – Onions are prone to being attacked by the larval fly, which eats the roots of the bulbs distorting the growth.
ONION THRIP- They are a tiny yellow or black bodied insect about 2mm long that attack the foliage. They can be troublesome in hot weather. They leave a white mottling on the leaves. This attack can result in smaller crops.
GROWING GARLIC
Garlic is a member of the onion family. It has been used as a medicine and a food for over 4,000 years. In fact, during World War 2 it was regularly used as an antiseptic to disinfect wounds and prevent gangrene.
Garlic is a bulb that is made up of many segments called “cloves”.
Growing Conditions
Garlic thrives best in open and sunny site, in well dug soil. It needs plenty of warmth to ripen. Do not plant garlic in recently manured soil as it may cause the bulbs to rot.
When to Grow
Garlic can be planted between October and December. It can also be planted in the spring, ready for harvesting between June and August.
How to Grow
Prepare the ground by digging over and weeding. Break open the garlic and detach the cloves of garlic.
Plant the garlic gloves in rows 30cm (12”) apart. In each row plant the garlic about 10cm (4”) apart. Push each clove gently into the soil, about 3cm (1”) deep with the pointed end facing upwards. Cover gently with soil so that the clove is just buried below the surface.
As the garlic grows continue to weed. Sometimes the birds can uproot the cloves; you may wish to net to avoid this depending on how much of a problem it is.
When to Harvest
Similarly to onions the leaves will start to turn yellow and die back, usually from June onwards.
Lift the garlic gently with a fork or a trowel.
Spread the garlic out in a dry area where it can be left to fully dry out. This can take a number of weeks.
Like onions once dry they can be plaited and hung as a lovely culinary addition to the kitchen.
Varieties in Stock
We have a great selection of onions, shallots and garlic in stock for you to choose from. To help you decide we have put together a list of all our varieties, each with a photo and a brief description of their merits.
