Plant and Grow Onions

Many recipes make use of onions, shallots or garlic. You can easily store these indispensable vegatables for future use.

Onions of ordinary size and quality can be grown in most soils.

Step 1.
As onions need good drainage, the texture of the soil is important.
Before planting, dig in well-rotted manure and sand or grit.
Add general fertiliser.

Step 2.
Plant onion sets 10cm apart from late winter to mid-spring, when the ground is workable.
Push gently into the soil until just the tips of the onions are showing.

Step 3.
Plant easy-to-grow shallots 15cm apart from late winter to early spring.
Press the bulbs firmly into the soil until they are half covered.

Step 4.
Garlic likes the sun and fairly rich ground.
Plant the bulbs vertically, 10cm apart, in late autumn or early spring to the depth of the bulb.

Step 5.
When onion, shallot and garlic leaves turn yellow, lift the bulbs and spread them to dry in a cool dry place, or plait withered leaves together with string.

Plant and Grow Potatoes

Potatoes are an excellent crop for a new or neglected garden as the root system breaks up the soil and improves its structure.

There are actually only a few soils in which potatoes won't grow reasonably well.
Step 1.
Prepare the soil by digging plently of organic matter into open, frost-free ground, to a depth of 60cm. (Crops will be poor in shaded areas).
Step 2.
In a light but not sunny room, set out the seed potatoes, eyes uppermost, in trays or egg boxes to chit (sprout). In six weeks they will develop 2cm sprouts.
Step 3.
Plant seed potatoes upright, with shoots at top, 30cm apart with 60cm between rows 15cm deep. Take care not to damage the fragile shoots.
Step 4.
Potatotes need constant "earthing up" to protect them from late frost and to prevent tubers that are too near to the surface turning green and toxic.
Step 5.
As an alternative, and for easier harvesting, you can earth up with straw. Potatoes and ready to dig up when they are the size of a hen's egg.

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