Hi Larry

I am going to tell you a tale of 2 different sets of onions.:)
I found some onion sets in HD and I planted them, a few days later I found other onion sets in Loews, they were bigger and healthier looking.
The onions that you saw were those and the weaker onions that made little or no bulb were the others.
I got the same onions sets from HD for the community gardens and they were joking with me telling me I gave them the cheap ones,lol. They were the same price!
Shallots sometimes don't make bulbs in our weather and with the warm winter we had...and now is hot.
The onions in the community gardens made little bulbs but they said they were good.
And the big ones that I had with so much cooking and preserving that I do, we finish them all! I even grilled some for Willy and he said next season do more sets!

Silvia

When the tops fall over or start to die, they are done. If you leave them in the ground until they start growing again they will go to seed and may split into sections (like garlic cloves). So you were right to pull them.

Planting the onions in real dirt should help the size. They need good soil to make big bulbs. Also make sure they don't have to compete with weeds, and that they are at a 4"-6" spacing.

That's funny, Silvia. I got the Walmart sets because they were the best looking at that time. The other outlets here had let the sets dry out. Too bad they don't take better care of their merchandise. There must be a huge profit associated with plants. I am planning my fall and spring plantings and am thinking that I need to set up a better seedling production area. I put in 64 square feet of raised bed this spring and will triple that this fall. I am really pleased at how well things grow so far from the Canadian border.

Larry, I am sure you will do better this coming season, cannot wait to see your new beds and what are you planting.

I found the picture of the good onions and I remember posting, this is how they looked like in November.

Silvia

Those look more like grilling onions than sets. Mine were nothing like that.

Your sweet potatoes have taken over this bed. I should be digging in a couple of months? -

Everything from the party is doing great except for the Red Lime. It is mostly croaked. I expect to loose the last of it in a few days.

Larry

Those sweet potatoes look very good, nice and healthy! They usually take about 90/120 days from the time planted. You can see they form a mound where the tubers are. Mine do well even after the cold weather comes. Some people use the greens as a spinach substitute.
After the party, I planted and oriental all purple variety and another that is supposed to be the best tasting variety. After harvest, I will see how well they do here and the taste and will share it with the gardeners next spring.
If you want to try the Italian squash next spring, send me your address to my email, I am drying the seeds now.

Silvia