..Onions/ garlic..wahhhhhhh..

[a white rabbit]

..has anyone had my problem with onions from seed ? i've lumped in garlic as it seems to be the same problem, but at least the leaves are bigger so symptoms are easier to spot..

..ok onions..plant seed, germinates in a day, growth good and strong for 2-3 weeks. Then, arghh, its starts to die back from the leaf tips, yellowing and curling, then one by one the leaves die from the outside in, then so does the plant. No sign of insect damage, no holes, no larvae, and collar rot only when the plant is dam' near dead. A very few survive, go on and grow well and normally, but my loss rate is 85/90%..

..and then the garlic..local stock, initially good growth, strong leaves, then 2/3 weeks and tip curl, rapidly followed by longitudinal striated yellowing of the leaves, and death, no signs of collar rot or insects, roots fine and luxurious, young shoots die until the clove is exhausted..

..oh yes, bunching onions, japanese origin i think, same as the garlic..

..the plants are correctly watered, i've tried net, protection against insects, and shade/ rain cover, i'll treat but what have i got ?

..soil is upland (1500ft) valley bottom, ex equatorial rain-forest at 6N, acidity around 5. something, clay to virtually sand, fertilisation by cow pea/mung rotation and excellent compost, as good as my grand-dads on LeptonEdge, Huddersfield, and better than my father's..

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