Bull-Necked Onions And The Last Globe Artichokes

Bull-Necked Onions

Dirty Nails is pleased with the progress of his onions. He planted sets of Sturon, Stuttgarter Giant and Red Baron throughout March, and has kept the rows moist and weed-free since then. He popped the acorn-sized onion sets in at 6 inch (15 cm) intervals and they have thrived in this space. The bulbs are now mostly 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10 cm) across, with the odd few over 5 inches (12 cm). Whenever an onion has bolted and pushed up a flower head, Dirty Nails has pinched it off.

These bolting onions are a nuisance because they become ‘bull-necked’ and won’t be any good for storing over the winter.

The bulbs develop a solid central core and thick, stiff, central stem. Dirty Nails finds that his Red Barons are more likely to bolt than the white varieties. Any bull-neckers can be left in the ground with the rest of the crop, but because they won’t keep, they are worth pulling now as and when required for cooking, or to liven up summer salads.

Globe Artichockes

There are a couple of meal-sized flower buds remaining on the globe artichokes which have produced a good crop after an earlier than usual start. Dirty Nails will cut these within the next few days and enjoy the exquisite experience that eating these glorious, immature flower heads provides. After that, any other small buds will be removed to concentrate all the plant’s energy back into itself, in readiness for hopefully another fine crop for next June and July.

Natural History In The Garden: Orange Hawkweed

Catching the eye with a vibrant display of cheery flowers in the banks around about is the orange hawkweed. This lovely little low grower displays vividly every year and should be on show this month. Another name for it is fox-and-cubs on account of the foxy coloured blooms and the way they form grouped bunches on their stalks.

Vegetable Snippets: Bolting

Bolting is a phenomenon which occurs in biennial plants. These are plants that grow for a season, rest (go dormant) for the winter, resume growth in the spring, then flower and set seed in the second summer. This includes onions, leeks and garlic, as well as many brassicas. Left to their own devices veggies like these will exhibit such behaviour.

Under normal circumstances the hungry gardener gets in there first, and harvests the crops while still young and tender. However where the environment is harsh, due to weather extremes such as drought or frost, biennials can become stressed and produce flowers in their first year. This is bolting, and it is a survival mechanism which has evolved as a way of securing the future of the species.