My leeks are looking very proud and big this year, it's crop I seem to have nailed and I've been really pleased as I've started to dig them up.
When I start to use a crop like this that's been growing for months I always start to wonder if I've grown enough. I have one 10ft by 4ft bed full of leeks but I'm sure if we ate them with more gusto it wouldn't last us until march. The onions in the shed are already running low but I knew I didn't have enough of those planted to last us out.
In fact I think alliums are a really tricky one to grow the right amount. I currently have two complete beds taken up with next years crops, garlic and shallots, that's without having room for my onions or next years leeks. Out of 16 beds total in rotation that's a lot of space currently being dedicated to them.
When I cook I tend to use them a lot, most meals I cook use an onions and garlic, probably three or four out of five meals, so over a year that means I'd need about 300 without allowing for spoilage, making preserves or large meals when friends or family come round. I know that shallots can bridge the gap a little bit and I need to be better at using them but due to how much longer they take to prepare I tend to use them only where a recipe calls for it.
The other downside is the fact that they are a fairly low value crop and the taste isn't hugely different to what you'd get in the shops (although I know how I grew them). If you were short on space I'd suggest leaving out the common onion for more exotic crops, although they are strangely satisfying to grow.
So how much space to delicate to the lowly allium in your veg garden? If you were going for self sufficiency how many do you think you'd need?
I grow a lot! We eat a lot of onions and garlic. Like you said you know whats in what you grew!. Garlic keeps so good and I dry the onions. I am liking growing my onions over winter instead of putting them in in January. They will be pulled and dried by the time I need the rows for spring veggies. The garlic I either planted down the outside of rows so I can plant veggies in the center or I planted in a row I don't use for veggies. I didn't plant any leeks this year. I actually came close to running out of onions this year so I planted an extra bag of onion sets this year! I also put in more garlic this year than last. You can always use your dehydrator to dry anything you need to pull and get out of your way for spring planting!
ReplyDeleteMy new store should mean that things keep a lot longer but we've nearly eaten all this years onions with no spoilage at all. I need to up my game! Overwintering onions I've never had much luck with. I've got far too much garlic in but I love the stuff and like to give it to family and friends when I can.
DeleteI don't think Onions are one those that are messed around with genetically or in off the wall fertilizers here in the states but who knows?
ReplyDeleteUnderground crops in general are hard to grow here unless you put them in after the Spring rains are done. Some years they grow great, others like this year.... well they drown and rot.
It's wet int he garden now and I'm wondering how my garlic and shallots are doing, not great I suspect. I'm going to add a few more rasied beds this winter if I get chance and have them for this type of crop. I'll rasie them up a good 16inches I think with plenty of drainage material int he bottom.
DeleteI grow plenty of red onions, but don't bother with leeks; for some reason I've had little success with them. At this time of year I buy one leek a week for my leek and potato soup, so my outlay is minimal.
ReplyDeleteRed onions bolt for me for some reason, leeks seem to love it here. they sometimes suffer with rust but this years are some of the best I've ever grown. Leek and potato soup might have to be in order this week now you've mentioned it - recipe please!
DeleteI usually try to grow as many as I possibly can. After losing a large percentage to the rabbits last year I really missed having them to use in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteAs our ground stays pretty waterlogged well into Spring I am thinking of planting lots in containers.
Rabbit fencing is the only way here, otherwise they wouldn't last five minutes!
DeleteWe only have 3 good raised beds, one of which is dedicated to leeks, haven't got room for anymore.
ReplyDeleteA bed of leeks is a great thing to see and a great thing to use over winter, a good use of space I'd say.
DeleteYour leeks look whoppers Kev. We always grow them and Japanese onions. Do you plant them with a dibber and drop them into the hole and water the soil around them to get such big socks?
ReplyDeleteThey're some of the ebst I've ever grown, each year I get deeper with my dibber and like you said just water them in. I really should try earthing them up like the French to get an even longer white sock on them, maybe next year if I remember!
DeleteWe eat lots of onions and garlic. I grow garlic as it is easy and I never had the room for onions other than pink ones that I grew a couple of years. Got the sets in Brittany.
ReplyDeleteCarrots I cant grown at all.
I'm normally good with carrots but not this year, little tidlers but still yummy. Parsnips on the other hand I have as big as your leg! Pink onions sound nice though, red ones bolt with me so I haven't grown them in a few years.
DeleteI enjoy growing my own onions and garlics but I don't aim for self-sufficiency – it would take too much room and, as you say Kev, they're cheap to buy.
ReplyDeletethey are but I do love seeing them grow and when they all fold over it looks amazing. A very satisfying crop!
DeleteThey're beautiful! I have to agree about how much to plant. I always plant extra and it's usually for the best. Any leftovers are dried and powered.
ReplyDelete