O/T:- Elite's onions!

[seriouspie]

I've known an ex Nottinghamshire onion growing (now retired) champ since childhood and bumped into him today. Remembering your comments about an ambition to grow a 3lb specimen I asked a few questions and there seems no reason why this could not be achieved quite easily as long as basic care and procedures are followed. There will be no need for heat lamps or light bulbs to be used ........ just basic regular feeding with planting in a good soil and soot mix starting mid April. Pete has some small plants grown from his own seeds and if interested will let you have half a dozen for £2.50 when they are ready. He used to show (and win) near you at the Moorgreen show but no longer.

If interested I'll post his number and you can arrange to meet at his allotment which is in Southwell. Mind you, although a retired plumber, a lifelong 'Pie and a rough owd country boy ......... don't talk politics or mention Forest!

[Elite_Pie]

Hardly worth it's own thread, but thanks for the offer anyway. I realise that a 3lb onion is a fairly modest target (the UK record is just short of 19lb), but I would like to achieve it for personal satisfaction. That's why I will have to say no to the £2.50 offer, because the whole point is that I have to grow the onion from seed to count. I have no specialist equipment and don't buy any specialist feed apart from digging in a bit of Growmore a month before planting out. If he has any tips for home made plant food I would be interested to hear them.

[seriouspie]

No problem as I appreciate you wish to do the job correctly, ie 'create' from seed to finished product.

I'll ring Pete later and snaffle a few tips to pass on as he told me certain feeds are all important. Pete's old rival is a chap from Halam called Glazebrook who is still competing and grows carrots to over 20ft in length down drain pipes apparently!!

Will post later with tips.

[seriouspie]

Elite ... a few tips

Grow in individual large pots a minimum of 12" deep to allow for roots to expand.

Soil preparation: Do this 2 weeks before you replant your seedlings. Use John Innes No.2 and mix in a sprinkling of soot. Soot apparently is the finest of nutrients for vegetables as after about two weeks it turns into nitrates within your soil. If you can find any (I appreciate the problem for you Townies!) get several pieces of sheep ****, mix with hot water until dissolved and when cool add to your soil as well. We're not finished yet!! Buy (it's cheap) a bag of seaweed plant food and again add a sprinkling to your soil. That completes the soil preparation apart from putting in the large pots and leaving for two weeks before planting.

If you don't have a greenhouse and are growing outside, don't start until the 3rd week in April (or later if frosty).

Apart from watering as required no more care needed except this: When the leaves start to develop put a cane in your pot and gently support the leaves with a piece of string to the cane. It is most important that the leaves do not fall off and weaken growth.

You are probably aware of most of these procedures but veg growing was never my forte. Shooting, rabbiting, ratting and fishing were my boyhood pastimes apart from football and cricket so apologies if I wasted your time on the details. But as I've got older I've often wished I'd learned more about growing veg and flowers ...... it's a hobby I've missed out on and to be honest part of the English way of life. Anyway ..... best of luck son, don't forget to let me know how you get on, it's always nice to succeed and I hope you do in this venture. Persevere seek advice and you'll get there - no problem.

[Elite_Pie]

Thank you for the info. I have read about soot being a useful fertiliser, but where do you get it from? There was loads to be had in the days of coal fires, but they are few and far between nowadays. For a few years I have had a home made compost heap consisting of grass cuttings, leaves, veg peelings and wood ash. I always barbecue with wood, and sprinkle the ash on the compost heap. I actually have two of them, alternating so that they compost for at least a year. I dig some into my veg beds and pots and boxes and it seems to help growth. I'm aware of the importance of leaf growth, because every new leaf that forms is another layer on the onion. I'll look into the seaweed option, anything to get the extra few ounces!

[seriouspie]

I'll check about the soot - shouldn't be a problem ...... I'll put out enquiries for something to do whilst I'm in isolation. Are you stumped for sheep sh1t because this is the main constituent and there must be a field near you where sheep graze. If you follow the recipe with ALL constituents added you'll piss the extra ounces and don't forget the seaweed from your garden centre.

[bobbilly]

Thank you for the info. I have read about soot being a useful fertiliser, but where do you get it from?

Someone with a log burner maybes ?

[seriouspie]

Actually just like Pete's looked in his glasshouse yesterday ( like two blades of grass ) so I assume you are fine. I'm quite excited about this project and my old 'Salesmans' mojo is back and indeed ideas abound in my brain about the future prospects for this venture!

When you produce the perfect 3 pounder I would wish to be your sole marketing arm in lieu of advice given which I consider a fair and reasonable offer + of course the normal 10% of revenue generated. I see great scope for this onion's image worldwide if marketed correctly and can quickly see you needing a few acres of suitable land for future growing, possibly the land in Lincolnshire you willed to your daughter would suffice as it would keep it in the family and as BFP lives in the county and has I believe, an interest in agriculture, he would make the ideal manager. Looking further ahead I see great opportunities in the literary world .... and again we are most fortunate to have as a brother 'Pie ... El Sid of Scarborough who could pen the life story of the onion 'Elitus' and how it came to prominence. Of course El Sid would require rewarding but I feel sure he would gain his satisfaction from penning a best seller (his personal ambition) rather than any financial reward. Even further in the future we could utilise Tarquin to open up the US market and indeed grow your onions under licence on his own land and who knows, possibly develop a new feed from goat sh1t which again could be patented for further sales. Yes the opportunities are huge

[jackal2]

I've never really been into gardening but this thread could start something...

[Elite_Pie]

I've never really been into gardening but this thread could start something...

I must admit that I thought this thread would bore the tits off most people (and it probably does), and my personal quest for the 3lb onion is more likely than not to end in failure. However, if it ends up inspiring one or two to try and grow their own veg it will be well worthwhile. It's definitely far easier to just buy it from the supermarket (stocks permitting), but there is no satisfaction in doing that. My kids often mock me when I say at Sunday dinner "an hour ago that was still growing in the garden", but the taste of real fresh vegetables makes the effort of growing your own well worthwhile. I am nothing more than an enthusiastic amateur, and probably have more failures than successes, but it gives me a lot of pleasure over the summer watching something turn from a tiny seed into a healthy vegetable. If me and tarquin talked vegetables we would be best mates, but if we ever talked politics it might be very different!