Thread: In the garden 2021

Originally Posted by cudarunner

So buckets are to avoid the Vole problem?

Exactly,

A friend of mine is testing a poison out from last year, which we might use in the surrounding yard area, I am reluctant to use it in the actual garden

My thought is to spread it in the yard if it works for him and then Rototill the garden pretty deep

The other option is to wire the bottom of a few Garden boxes but that is quite an investment

I am trying to learn if Voles will climb through Hay Bales as my neighbor is using them

"The Shan" however is mentioning Damn Ducks again hehehe

The Walla Walla onions are looking good

Roy
How long before they are big enough for cooking?

Those have a ways to go----You can start pulling them when they get to the size of green onions but around here most wait until they are at least an inch across. Back in the day the machines for seeding weren't as accurate as they are today so the growers would thin the onions then bunch them up and sell them as 'Salad Onions'. These days they just start pulling a row until the onions are close to being big enough to become dry onions. Here's a pic;



I hope this is of some help.

I tried to load just the picture of the onion's development but it didn't work so here's a link to more about the WW Sweets including the picture;

https://www.spokesman.com/agriculture/onions/

I will add that while they can be cooked due to the extremely high water content (around 90%) they aren't real good for cooking. Where they excel is used raw. You'll see people around here with a slice of WW Sweet almost as big as the patty on their hamburger.

That’s what I find they are good for, RAW, mine are doing great, thanks Roy

Mine aren't doing very well but I am north and it might be me...........

Originally Posted by 32t

Mine aren't doing very well but I am north and it might be me...........

If you have 'ANY' still going you've done far better than I did. They were fine and suddenly they just died. I know they love water so I might not have kept them hydrated enough.

I'm sure Travis has killed the hard neck garlic I had going so 'IF' I'm going to do any more playing, I'll see about getting the raised beds put up.

Roy
A great article
My plan is to let these grow until the green lays down then pick the bulbs

Originally Posted by rolodave

Roy
A great article
My plan is to let these grow until the green lays down then pick the bulbs

Glad you enjoyed the article.

If you end up with enough onions and you'd like to store them for a couple of months (they don't store well due to the high water content) and you think they are big enough but don't want to wait till the leaves drop you can just stomp on the leaves (this simulates the plant falling over) then in about a week, pull the onions, top them and then let them cure for several days before storing them.

The best way to store them is to use old nylons--put an onion in the toe, put a twist tie or use some string then put another onion in and repeat till the leg is full.

Then store hanging from a joist or such in a cool dry place.

The nylons allow air to circulate around the entire onion to help mold from forming.

Mine are doing great , now we will start transplanting them to give more room to grow, ate 2 today as a green onion on the side

Also first picking of asparagus, it’s on now, plus tomatoes , lettuce, and cucumbers are planted

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Mine are doing great , now we will start transplanting them to give more room to grow, ate 2 today as a green onion on the side

Also first picking of asparagus, it’s on now, plus tomatoes , lettuce, and cucumbers are planted

Even if you've just picked the asparagus, when you bring it inside, put them in water. It will not only keep it alive (like flowers) but it will also keep it crisp.

I don't know if you 'snap' asparagus or cut it but if you keep the asparagus in the water inside a plastic bag in the frig it will get Really Crisp and then if you hold the spears by the tip and the end, it should snap where the stalk starts to get tougher. What's left of the butt is still usable but will not be as tender at the tip that snapped off.

Just a thought--