# Big Onion Contest!! With a prize!



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Thanks to Mont. The winner will receive a 2cool hat and 2cool sticker. So yall post up your big fat onion. Good luck!


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

I don't think I'm much of a onion grower yet . Mine aren't big and pretty .


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

What cultivar (short day) seems to make the largest onion, or is there a trend? I am hung up on 1015Y, and trying a red variety this year, it is not overly promising at this time.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I planted 1015's this year. My thoughts are onions like sandy loam. Plus, some fish emulsion here and there and a side when they start bulbing.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Paul Marx said:


> I don't think I'm much of a onion grower yet . Mine aren't big and pretty .


When did you plant them?


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

The biggest I ever grew are the Candy. Xtra sweet and huge,but don't keep very well.I planted some more this year,but mostly 1015's.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Just discovered I have a resident gopher eating the roots out from under some of mine--doesn't touch bulb, just eats roots off flush, plant falls over. Never seen that before, not sure how to "terminate" him, not where I want to use bait.


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

I planted in November R.B.


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## The Driver. (May 20, 2004)

So how much of the tops are we allowing or do we go with a trimmed onion for contest?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Doesn't matter to me...the tops, especially after drying like I do, don't weigh much at all.

The main thing to me is always, just like with fish bragging rights, a picture with a quality calibrated scale.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Doesn't matter to me...the tops, especially after drying like I do, don't weigh much at all.
> 
> The main thing to me is always, just like with fish bragging rights, a picture with a quality calibrated scale.


Tops are cool with me. Is that your entry Lark?


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

peckerwood said:


> The biggest I ever grew are the Candy. Xtra sweet and huge,but don't keep very well.I planted some more this year,but mostly 1015's.


I grow some Walla Walla onions that are a "long day" onion. Like your Candy, they are extra sweet, very large, and have a slightly higher water content than my other onions. They are also poor keepers. I'm lucky to get 2 months out of them, even after doing all of the proper drying steps. Does somebody know if the large, sweet onions, in general, have poorer keeping qualities?hwell:

I am still going to grow 50 of them this year in spite of this shortcoming. You can dang near eat them like an apple they are so sweet. Make great onion rings! They are almost too mild to be good for cooking or adding to canned tomatoes. Best eaten raw.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

Yep,those Walla Walla's are fantastic onions that I would grow if I were further north.A BBQ joint near here always had the best onions on the table that had no sting at all and were actually sweet as in apple sweet.I finally ask the cat that owned the place,and he was quick to say Walla Walla.The only onions he would buy.Your right about the high water content in Candy's.They might last 2 months.This year I'm going to let them lay out to dry longer before hanging the in the barn.Wanted to do that last year,but rain screwed the plan up.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

The higher the water content the shorter the storage...in my experience. I'm not aware of any way around that. 

I like a good 7 days of dry weather before harvesting and after harvesting I let mine sun for a full day or two. Haven't bought an onion from a store in several years...but this year have been required to start using this year's growing onions. 

It might be interesting to do a taste compare....I'll send you a couple of my 1015 onions, Dick, if you can PM me your address.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Lark..... I would love to try growing a couple 1015! It will be interesting to see the flavor, sizing, etc., in a long day environment. I've sent you a PM with my address.

They haven't missed a potential grow day in my garden so far. The ground is still very cold, but the frost is out of the garden. I was working in compost today, but could only do 2 rows. The bulk of my compost pile is still frozen! I used up everything that wasn't frozen. The rest should thaw faster now that the top layer is gone.

The Garden Center where I get my Walla Wallas plants from said that they should be coming in around the 1st of May. I'm going to plant a small amount of a couple of cold weather crops next week ...Stuff like lettuce family and radishes. Maybe the week after that some spuds.

I'll be looking forward to watching the results coming in on your onion contest!


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I'm still trying to figure out if that's larks entry for 2017? That would be hard to beat.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

No, just a sample from prior years for illustration of how I weigh them.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> No, just a sample from prior years for illustration of how I weigh them.


I thought it was kinda early for one of that size. I got some nice onions but no whoopers yet.
I'm seeing some falling over already. They are only around a pound but I'll take them.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I've seen that also...and the 1 pounders slice just as good or better than bigger ones. 

Haven't seen any bolters...yet...thankfully.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> I've seen that also...and the 1 pounders slice just as good or better than bigger ones.
> 
> Haven't seen any bolters...yet...thankfully.


You said it. No bolters here. Still having cool nights must help. I'm thinking I'll be harvesting sooner than normal.
I did rob a few taters. I have never seen tater plants so big. Their like bushes. The ones I robbed were about golf ball size. They sure ate good I wrapped in foil and put them on the pit. Tasty!


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Yep, I need to do a little raid and get some of those also. Its funny but my potato tops are also like huge this year...I didn't do anything different. Its interesting that yours are that way also. Makes one wonder?


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Yep, I need to do a little raid and get some of those also. Its funny but my potato tops are also like huge this year...I didn't do anything different. Its interesting that yours are that way also. Makes one wonder?


I'm telling ya. Tops from He!!.Still makes me wonder what kinda of yield I'll get?


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## 2Ws (Jun 28, 2016)

My taters are the same....I just hope as much grow down as what's up.


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

R.B. do I need to pinch the flowers of my potato plants ? My plants are big as well . Other then those my garden is 3 weeks behind last year .


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Paul Marx said:


> R.B. do I need to pinch the flowers of my potato plants ? My plants are big as well . Other then those my garden is 3 weeks behind last year .


I have never done that. But there's a lot of stuff I don't do. This was my first year to ever pull the dirt back from my onions.
I usually pick the suckers off the mater plants. This year I'm just gonna let them grow. I'll fertilize them but that's it.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Rubberback said:


> I'm telling ya. Tops from He!!.Still makes me wonder what kinda of yield I'll get?


Well, my experience has been that great tops don't necessarily equal great tots.

The best production I've ever had has been from the most straggly tops you can imagine. Pull up a spindly top and pounds and pounds of taters under them....10 pounds of new potatoes per pound of seed.

It will be interesting to see if that holds this year. Fascinating that several folks are all reporting great tops this year. Maybe the seed potatoes are all from the same source? and great top producers.

Starting to rain here...most welcome...and I'll get out there and rob a few small taters to check on production after it eases up some.


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

10 pounds per 1 of seeds ??????? Oh heck , I bought a 50 pound sack of seeds for $18 from the farmers market in Houston . My row is 300' long . I think I might be in trouble .


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Me too Lark. Will find out. Raining here as well. I just fertlized yesterday. Thank- you Lord please protect my crops. Amen!
Figured it would be a nice day to make a dewberry pie. Its in the oven. WR RANCH recipe HMMMM good.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

One of the best onions ever....what do i win....


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

sgrem said:


> One of the best onions ever....what do i win....


That right there is a double bulbing onion. Definately ripe for picking.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

In Aggieland that's the only kind of onions we knew. I saw "Big onion contest" and got excited about some college days....


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

sgrem said:


> In Aggieland that's the only kind of onions we knew. I saw "Big onion contest" and got excited about some college days....


I like aggie onions post up.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Paul Marx said:


> 10 pounds per 1 of seeds ??????? Oh heck , I bought a 50 pound sack of seeds for $18 from the farmers market in Houston . My row is 300' long . I think I might be in trouble .


Holy tater crop. 
A 300' row wow. I'm not sure I could even walk that far.LOL! Hope you got a lot of children to help with the harvest ? 
I want to see this harvest.


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

I have The Marx Farmacy , and let folks bring their kids out , to pick some things . Adults only on a lot of veggies . I'll dig the taters up with a middle buster as needed . Let the kids pick them up . My ground it so hard I'm sure they won't over produce . I'll get some picture when I do it .


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Paul Marx said:


> 10 pounds per 1 of seeds ??????? Oh heck , I bought a 50 pound sack of seeds for $18 from the farmers market in Houston . My row is 300' long . I think I might be in trouble .


Paul, first time we ever grew potatoes was on some land I purchased with in- laws more years ago than I care to count, LOL. We bought a 100 pound sack of seed potatoes and planted them all....much to our regret.

My daughter, who now has teen aged children, can still remember pulling her red wagon house to house in Clear Lake City selling new red potatoes. She sold them all...and made some good spending money, but never again.

We dug them with the middle buster and didn't even bother to pick up the damaged ones, there were so many.

Here's my suggestion: get the kids a small wagon and let them sell potatoes that way...folks love it, LOL.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Paul, first time we ever grew potatoes was on some land I purchased with in- laws more years ago than I care to count, LOL. We bought a 100 pound sack of seed potatoes and planted them all....much to our regret.
> 
> My daughter, who now has teen aged children, can still remember pulling her red wagon house to house in Clear Lake City selling new red potatoes. She sold them all...and made some good spending money, but never again.
> 
> ...


This^. And eat the rest. Least they keep. You cannot eat better new taters than from your garden. Ever!


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

Good Idea I have a couple wagons . I also have a potato bin in the barn that a neighbor gave me . He said they will keep for awhile if you don't wash them . I have a 4" well , irrigation , and drip tape . I've been giving them just enough water to keep the soil moist , but not saturated . We got a nice 3/4" rain yesterday , so that helps as well . It drains very well so they shouldn't rot .


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

When the tops die hoping its sunny leave them and shut the water off. Let the ground dry completely and dig them and let them dry in the garden for a few hours in the hot sun. Then knock the dirt off them.


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

I'll do just that , Thank you R.B.


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## The Driver. (May 20, 2004)

*1.5 lb my best.*

Pulled the rest of mine up Sunday and stored them yesterday. Had a good crop overall with a yellow sweet as my best at 1.5 lb.


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## Shooter (Jun 10, 2004)

Very nice Driver. I need to do the same with mine.


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

Good job Driver


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

*Calibrating Onions*

Only an engineer would do this(and probably not many of those), LOL, but was out pulling some onions before the rain today and decided to try to "calibrate" them, for what that's worth, in terms of diameter to weight.

I found it takes about a 4 inch diameter onion to get over 1 pound in weight and it looks like a 5 inch diameter onion to get over 2 pounds. Still have to prove that with some in the ground data but...

For example, here's a 1 pound 13.25 ounce one that was an estimated 4.8 inches in diameter and a 1 pound 2.5 ounce one that was just over 4 inches in diameter. Need a caliper next year, LOL. Extrapolation gets the over 5 inches to over 2 pounds.

I guess in the category of worthless info, only an onion grower would find this interesting, and perhaps not even then.hwell:

However, my theory is that length of storage is inversely proportional to amount of moisture in the onion. Hence a ratio of weight to diameter compiled over time with a statistical correlation to storage could enable the grower to have an indication of storage length...like I said, probably worthless info to most people. :work:


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

*Your brain working*

Lark... I like how your brain works!:mpd:


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

That's a nice onion Driver. I'm hoping I can beat it. But I have some pounders and that is always nice. Love them onions and you got a nice haul. Job well done.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Rubberback said:


> That's a nice onion Driver. I'm hoping I can beat it. But I have some pounders and that is always nice. Love them onions and you got a nice haul. Job well done.


Very light rain here today....thinking I'll finish harvest probably Sat. What's your thinking, RB?


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Very light rain here today....thinking I'll finish harvest probably Sat. What's your thinking, RB?


Agree with the onions. But the tater tops are still green. I'm gonna wait till they die. Its hard to break old habits. I like them big too. LOL! I like to make french fry's out of the big ones. Plus big uns make good mashed taters.
It's always fun to dig a few pounders. LMAO! You know bigger is always better.
That is what she said.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Rubberback said:


> Agree with the onions. But the tater tops are still green. I'm gonna wait till they die. Its hard to break old habits. I like them big too. LOL! I like to make french fry's out of the big ones. Plus big uns make good mashed taters.
> It's always fun to dig a few pounders. LMAO! You know bigger is always better.
> That is what she said.


My bride says she doesn't like the red potatoes for mashing...too hard, LOL.

I love 'em myself and would never eat anything else if it were up to me. In fact, I eat them raw...with a salt shaker (my Dr. faints). I peel 'em and give them a bath in ascorbic acid and they stay white and crisp for many days...better than potato chips.

Noticed my potato tops beginning to show signs of turning...won't be long on what's left of mine before they come out.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> My bride says she doesn't like the red potatoes for mashing...too hard, LOL.
> 
> I love 'em myself and would never eat anything else if it were up to me. In fact, I eat them raw...with a salt shaker (my Dr. faints). I peel 'em and give them a bath in ascorbic acid and they stay white and crisp for many days...better than potato chips.
> 
> Noticed my potato tops beginning to show signs of turning...won't be long on what's left of mine before they come out.


Hears what I'm looking at I just took this pic. Think I'm gonna gamble and hope we don't get 10" of rain.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Looking very good. I have waited as late as Memorial Day to dig mine, but I've seen too many huge multi-day rain events in early May since then to risk it.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Looking very good. I have waited as late as Memorial Day to dig mine, but I've seen too many huge multi-day rain events in early May since then to risk it.


Your so right and that spot there holds water. I'm gambling. Theirs some spuds right there. I've dug some. Just want them a tad bigger. Lark I might wake up manana and say FI and dig them all. Who knows?


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Looking very good. I have waited as late as Memorial Day to dig mine, but I've seen too many huge multi-day rain events in early May since then to risk it.


Did you pick them? Are you waiting till Sat. there saying over an inch Sat here. Don't think that would hurt me but who really knows? When they go over an inch who knows what I'll get?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Waiting 'till Sat or before next rain to pull the rest of the onions...and its a day-to-day thing on the remaining spuds from here on out. I'm watching the tops on them close and have seen some signs today of beginning of the end(some lower leaves turning yellow), so I'll keep watching and be ready to act. They are so good tasting, just don't want to loose any, LOL.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Waiting 'till Sat or before next rain to pull the rest of the onions...and its a day-to-day thing on the remaining spuds from here on out. I'm watching the tops on them close and have seen some signs today of beginning of the end(some lower leaves turning yellow), so I'll keep watching and be ready to act. They are so good tasting, just don't want to loose any, LOL.


No doubt! I'm going with you on this one. Its the end no doubt. So why chance it. Taters are cool they grow fast and there's no way I'm gonna waste them. They were ok the last time I checked and that's been darn near a week. Get them while the getting is good. I am glad I've waited though.
I didn't think we would get much rain the last two showers so I done good there. But this next one could hurt me bad. Nope ain't gonna happen! I'm done stick a fork in me. 
To much work to let it turn to **.:headknock


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

Your plants look good R.B. I'm trying to decide what to put in the 2 rows where my taters were . More corn , purple hulls , black eyed , cucumbers , okra , or dill .


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Paul Marx said:


> Your plants look good R.B. I'm trying to decide what to put in the 2 rows where my taters were . More corn , purple hulls , black eyed , cucumbers , okra , or dill .


I'm going with peas. Then I'm gonna use that small garden for my fall garden. It's on the south side of my shack and will block that North wind.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

*My entry*

2 pounds 0.75 ounces.

Had two at that size, but overall size was down from last years. Two together went about 10.5 inches across.

Difficult to take pictures by yourself with this wind blowing, LOL.

Now, its time to find a cool spot and relax...:brew:


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I don't think I can beat that. Nice onion! I remember that one year . I think I got ten 2 lbers and a mess of pounders. I know one thing I got some fine onions in my mind. I'm 2 for 2. Just hope the streak last.
Nice onion Lark. 
True story that year with all the big ones. Lady bought a few 2lber's from me and was showing them off in Anderson. I sell for buck fifty a pound. So those were three bucks an onion.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Rubberback said:


> I don't think I can beat that. Nice onion! I remember that one year . I think I got ten 2 lbers and a mess of pounders. I know one thing I got some fine onions in my mind. I'm 2 for 2. Just hope the streak last.
> Nice onion Lark.
> True story that year with all the big ones. Lady bought a few 2lber's from me and was showing them off in Anderson. I sell for buck fifty a pound. So those were three bucks an onion.


I lied I'm 3 for three. Good crop of berries.


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## The Driver. (May 20, 2004)

Meadowlark said:


> 2 pounds 0.75 ounces.
> 
> Had two at that size, but overall size was down from last years. Two together went about 10.5 inches across.
> 
> ...


Good job on the 2 pounder Lark!


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Mighty fine onion at 2#'s! Beat me nearly 2:1 this year-best were barely over 1#. But they are out, likewise the taters--was concerned about that monsoon we were supposed to get last night. Got peas and okra planted where onions and taters were, so got 0.3" rain last night. Better than no rain but don't think moisture met.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Thanks jm423. I also planted peas in the onion row, but still have part of my potatoes in the ground. 

It was a corn flattening storm around here...but no tornadoes touched down. Prayers to the families that were hit hard in East Texas.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Those storms scare me to death. In a matter of seconds your place is toast. Prayers sent. Nothing here to speak of but it was windy. Guess, I'll pick my onions.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I lost about 1/2 (20) tomato plants. The wind screwed them out of the ground. Still blowing like a sow-****.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Guess I'm in third place. The pic I posted was my biggest. Quite a few right at that #. So over all great haul. Here's a pic of a few I weight. Did I spell that right. LOL!
Their all stored. I used your method Lark. 
I'm counting lots of maters on the vine. Yee Haw. That's when I get busy. Canning ! Salsa, picante, and just maters. I'm ready.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

peckerwood said:


> I lost about 1/2 (20) tomato plants. The wind screwed them out of the ground. Still blowing like a sow-****.


Ouch!


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## Sugars Pop (Jul 10, 2008)

Hunting season is priority so my onion garden is about 2 months behind schedule . We will wait until they fall over to give them a little more time. Largest right now is only 1/2 pound or so. Can't plant peas due to the deer and rabbits so it will work out fine.


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