2/1/15 – First update post of 2015

Happy new year everyone!

Quick update and some pics. The onions had well and truly outgrown the grow chamber with lots of leaves touching against the tube lights. So a trip to the builders merchants was in order for some more wood to increase the height of it. It is now twice the height its original size.

Also had to add in some longer split canes, and a couple more plant clips to all the pots so the onions could be clipped up and supported properly, as some of the leaves on the larger plants were starting to fold over.

Here’s a pic of the tray of them all and then some of the better ones…

As from tomorrow the lighting will be reduced to 16 hours per day. I think I’m gonna leave them in these pots until the end of January and then I’ll pot the best ones on into larger pots.

I’m wondering whether or not I should be adding some soluble feed to the watering. I don’t know how long the nutrients in the soil in the pots will take to deplete. Thoughts and advice would be muchly welcomed.

27/12/14 – Xmas Onion Update

Had to raise the top of the grow chamber where the lights are attached as quite a few of the plants have thrown out some decent leaves now and were almost touching the tubes. I may even have to add some more panels around the side to allow me to raise it even further in a couple of weeks as if they continue to grow like they have been it’ll need raising quite a bit more.

These are the 5 plants that seem to be doing the best so far…

 

The rest of the plants are not far behind these either.

1 more week with the lights on 24hrs a day and then I intend to reduce it to 16hrs a day for maybe 4 weeks or so.

13/12/14 – Support required

The onions are flying away now, way ahead of anything I’ve grown before. Only about 4 weeks in and they are doing better than last years were after 2 months so I’m excited to see how they go from here.

I’ve had to add some split canes and support clips to most of the plants as the leaves were getting too big. Some of them are just starting to shoot out their 1st decent leaf and thickening up a little at the bottom.

6/12/14 – Seedlings thinned out

2 weeks on from planting and they are all well under way. I’d planted 2 seeds per pot but 4 of the pots had no growers whatsoever, so they were reseeding. All of the other pots I thinned down so that I had the strongest 1 onion per pot. I’ve left the thinning down a little late really, as some of the pots had 2 really good growers which I would have liked to just transplant one into the pots that had no growers, but the roots were too big for me to prick out without damaging them so unfortunately I just had to reseed them.

They seem to be coming on nicely and all looking good so far.

Lighting still on 24 hours a day.

22/11/14 – Sow time

Welcome all to my very first ever blog. I am going to log and document my 2015 giant onion growing attempt. I have grown medium onions for the last 2 years (biggest was 2.25lb and measured 14.25″ circumference), just to enter into local shows for a bit of fun and give my uncle a little competition.

This is the first year I’m giving it a go seriously to try and grow a big big one, since I now have a greenhouse, and a little free space in the spare room for a basic grow chamber. Not much room in raised bedding area in the greenhouse but I think I’ll be able to squeeze 10-12 in there maybe.

So, the final bedding area in the greenhouse was prepared in September – turned in a load of horse manure and sprinkle of various different nutrients. Will cover with some bubble wrap insulation and leave to break down over winter until April time.

Today, 22/11/14, I have filled 29 x 4″ pots with a compost mix of the following: 6 parts compost, 1 part vermiculite, sprinkle of calcified seaweed. I’ve sown 2 seeds per pot, and will thin down to the strongest ones at the crooked stage.

The majority of watering will be done from the bottom, as all 29 pots are in a large grow tray.

The plants will be in the grow chamber in the bedroom under 24 hour lighting for the first 6 weeks.

The chamber is simply a plywood box, with the inside walls covered with standard kitchen foil to reflect the light. The lights are 4ft flourescent tubes (daylight light type).

Will post an update as and when I can. Thanks for joining me. All comments and feedback welcome 🙂