Super onion runs rings around competition

Noel Williams may have found a magic combination for red onions, after his last harvest of his planter box pulled up a few monsters.

The largest of the red onions, weighing in at 650g and approximately the size of a fist, surprised Noel after his largest of last years crop was only 500g. Many of this year’s crop, says Noel, beat last year’s efforts.

While the former farmer has a background growing flowers, having won Garden Marlborough awards in 2019, growing vegetables is something new for him.

“I bought the house just over two years ago, and when I arrived, I put some mushroom manure into the vegetable planter boxes and then last year did the same with tomato mulch.

"Last year was the first big crop, but everything in there from the onions and beans to mint and rhubarb has just gone gangbusters this year.”

Noel says that he’s not sure what he’ll do with the largest of the crop, or whether he’ll dig into it first or last.

“I’ll lift up all the others and hang them in the garden shed to dry a bit, then I’ll have them ready whenever because red onions are an absolute favourite.”

“The largest one will probably do me a couple meals worth at least.”