We live in Art, the Hill Country, and a neighbor and I were talking about our radishes, beets, onions they come up but the are lanky and no bulbs form. I have even planted them deeper and still just the top grows, really big and pretty, but nothing but the tops to eat. Can you help?

10/15/20089:53:23 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Gardens

The first thing I would check is how appropriate are the different varieties to our region. Onions, for example, are classified as short or long day types. We're in a short to intermediate day length area, as our summer days don't get as long as further north. Radishes are classified according to the time of the year in which they do best. Make sure that you are planting appropriate varieties for our area, and that you are planting at the right time of year. Onion seeds should be planted right now for harvest next year, while if you're planting sets they shouldn't be planted until after the last frost date. Most of this information should be printed on the seed packet. Make sure the plants are getting regular adequate water. Onions in particular require a fair bit of water. Also make sure the soil is amended with plenty of compost and that they're being fed adequate amounts of organic, slow release fertilizer. Garden-Ville's Manure Compost is a great option for your garden. In the hill country it's a good idea to amend the soil with sulphur to lower ph and with greensand to add iron. We sell both of these products at our retail locations and online. Be sure not to give them too much nitrogen as this will tend to stimulate green leafy growth rather than root growth. The other key is patience. Onions planted from seed can take up to 200 days to be ready for harvest. Give your plants plenty of time to mature.