Neat onions

Onion transplants 3-17-11

     Last year was a good onion year for me, having loads of white and yellow onions to keep.  The ones that were small, that is more trouble to cut, went back in the garden in the fall.  They are about to be picked as needed as scallions.  But some of the other onions in the park were beautiful monsters.  They had been started as transplanted onion slips by some of the pros at the park.  A couple of days ago, I was lucky in that Jeff had ordered more than he could handle, so he gave me two bunches!  Both long keeping onions, Red Zepellin and yellow Copra.  Both bunches contained around 75 slips.  I believe Jeff said that the onions were from Dixondale Farms in Texas, and when ordered in large quantities, the bunches were $2.50 apiece.  The two varieties are long day onions, a proper choice for Delaware.
     The only problem now is that I have already bought some white and red sets for this year.  They will be my experiment to see if they do OK in the more shaded home garden.  I also have purchased French shallots already.  They will have to go in over at the park.  They were delicious sauteed.
      Below is a shot of the slips newly planted in their bed.  The Red Zepellin near the top, and the Copra at the bottom.  In the middle, are some garlic and Beedy's Kale, both of which wintered over without protection.  I planted the onions on about four inch centers.  Yep, too close.  What's a guy to do when there is so much to plant and so little space?  Yep, the pros will still have bigger onions than yours truly.  Maybe that embarrassment will be my cure to over crowding.  Don't count on it.

Onion transplants 3-17-11