onions !

The onion sets I planted 2-3 weeks ago are poking through now. Do I need to do anything ? LOL - Never grown veg before and I love onions so am prepared to site up all night telling them stories if need be !
Also the potatoes that went in at the same time are nowhere to be seen...is this ok ?

 

" Do I need to do anything ?"

I find the birds sometimes think the tops are worms, and give them a tug, in which case you need to push them back in, gently.

Did you put some fertilizer down a bit before (or when) you planted them? If not some growmore woudl be a good idea.

"Also the potatoes that went in at the same time are nowhere to be seen...is this ok ?"

Yes, important that you can't see them. If the leaves come through then if there is any chance of frost pull some soil over the leaves.

Once all danger of frost is past (I treat that as being 1st June to be cautious, may be a bit later in Scotland) then you need to earth them up once when the tops have made some good growth. If they are first earlies, and planted earlier than you have done, you might find that with good growth and frosty nights you would have earthed them up all that was possible by 1st June but generally you'll be able to earth them up some more after that date.

After the last frost don't bury the leaves - the plant needs them to produce energy, so earth up the stems (where the spuds will form, and to prevent the spuds seeing the daylight - which will make them turn green, and spoil)

 

Hi ming. There is a school of thought that onions should be fed with nitrogen rich fertiliser before 21st June and potash rich AFTER June 21st. My late father always did this and he grew some whoppers ! But then, he grew his from seed, so maybe it wouldn't be so effective with those grown from sets. Cheers...freddy.

 

just nipped out and gave the onions some fertiliser just now. thank you x

 

I read that when planting onion sets you are supposed to leave the tip just showing, is this right or do i need to properly bury them?

 

Well I buried mine 3 weeks ago and they have surfaced now

 

I just push mine in about 1/3rd the bulb's depth. Don't want them to rot ... but I planted mine well-early