Onion white rot is a serious fungal disease that can persist in the soil for 20 years or more.  It is caused by fungal spores which are black dots that lie dormant in the ground till triggered by onions growing nearby.
This year, out of a bed of about 100, I found 9 infected.

This picture shows 2 onions, one with much more infection.

   

And this shows the worst one cleaned up. It obviously needed using fairly quickly.

   

I have a garden area where white rot exists that I am slowly trying to eradicate. It is taking a long time. I've probably been at it now for 10 years but it was a lot worse then. I only grow autumn planted seeds/sets there and cycle round the plot in a 5 year cycle. Autumn planted sets can be harvested a lot earlier than maincrop and the fungus doesn't seem to develop till the soil warms up and these are then nearly ready to harvest. Autumn planted will store for a lot longer than books say but obviously not as long as maincrop. In last year's plot, there were no onions infected but this year I found a few. Any with yellowing leaves I give a pull to check the roots are still there as the fungus tends to travel up the roots to the bulb. When I found the one above, I pulled up the rest of the crop ,a bit early but of a reasonable size to use. I'm hoping by doing this, I'm removing the onions before more spores can form so reducing the prevalence in the soil. I also take out and dispose of a small spadeful of soil round any onions found.

Once again, G&G will be celebrating with a Harvest Festival in the autumn. Dates to be announced later. Meanwhile, start taking and saving your photos - all the more the merrier.

The categories will be the same as last year. They are:-

Best container of veg - growing or harvested
Best container of fruit - growing or harvested
Best container of flowers - growing or harvested
Tallest sunflower
Funniest veg or fruit
Homegrown Ingredients for a meal - before and after preparation.
Something from the kitchen - jam/pickle/homebrew
A Repurposed item in the garden
Best Wildlife/pollinator feature or area
Most improved plot, garden - any size.
Favourite Gardener's Helper


Good luck!

Must’ve bought this some time - but haven’t seen it for several years. Any ideas, please?

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I'm experimenting this year with bagging some of the fruit to protect it against the birds, squirrels, whathaveyou. These are peaches. I can't bag some of the fruit as the branches are too long, or short, to put a bag on. 
I tried bagging some cherries but because of the way they hang on the branches I couldn't get them in a bag. Will keep trying!

Do you think I need some new ones?    

   

Hopefully new ones will be arriving tomorrow. 

Just out of interest what sort of gloves do you garden in? What jobs do you use gloves for? What size gloves do you use? 

I’m a size 7. Which makes finding gloves to fit a challenge at times.

Thank you so much to Admin for your contribution to the Vinny benevolent fund.

Thanks to all that voted for my little 3rd year anniversary story. (And to all that didn't for that matter!)



I'm glad to be a member of this little online community, or dare I say it, 'Family' and long may it continue!

Rather than just buy 50 squids worth of Ribeye steaks I need to put some thought into something approprate? 

A few years ago I spent a goodly chunk of the garden budget on a black bamboo.  It took a couple of years to establish, but last year sent up huge stems. It looked really great.
But this year it has decided to set seed, has sent up no new shoots and the leaves are dropping.  So I guess it's dying!  Last year was a gregarious flowering & dying year for it world wide, but i haven't come across any cases in 2023 yet.
The challenge will be trying to collect and germinate the seed - anybody have any experience or advice?!

Crystal Balls at the ready
What do you predict will happen in your garden or plot during June. Anything you're looking forward to, in particular?

Thank you to those who entered the Birthday story competition.

I think all the entries were very good but there could only be one winner

An objection has been raised as the winning story had divine intervention! We are currently seeking guidance from a higher level, as to whether any rules were broken

In all seriousness, well done Vinny...I think we all had fun trying to read your story with a Geordie accent!

I will be in contact with Vinny this week to arrange the prize.

A personal thank you from me to everyone who makes this a fun place to visit.

It has to be asked - who is growing Tromboncino this year and is prepared to show us theirs for a laugh later this year?

You all know the "Rules" by now!!
Grow a Tromba/Trombone/Tromboncino squash and show us photos of them that will make us laugh!
Funny shapes, massive girth. longest length, curly ones always welcome. Big Grin
Whatever your's looks like, we promise to laugh!!