Dutch Crop tour onions - week 36
Reason enough for onion growers to harvest
Over the past few days, a lot of work has been done on the seed onions plots of the Gewastour. The regrowth is disappointing, the crop is deteriorating rapidly due to downy mildew and problems with drought. Reason enough for onion growers to start harvesting.
The first seed onions from the Gewastour have already been sent to the processor, but since last week there has been a storm. Meanwhile, 6 of the 8 onion growers have already harvested their onions and the first batches are behind the shelves.
Clearing Arum
For good storage quality, the rule is that harvesting should take place when the foliage is still at least 30% green. This was achieved last weekend on the plot in Eenrum (Groningen). "The onions are now in the swath and the harvesting went well. For the time being, they will remain that way to dry," says grower Dirk Binnema.
During the trial harvesting 3 weeks ago, the plot amounted to 62,7 tons. Something has grown since then. "The yield seems very good, but there are also lesser spots. I don't know yet what the average will come to. But it is a very nice coarse batch." The latest trial harvestings of the Gewastour will show how coarse this batch is and what the number of tons is.
Harvesting Kortgene
Last Sunday (week 35) the seed onions were harvested on the plot in Kortgene (Zeeland). Onion grower Klaasjan Boer hopes to pick up the onions next Thursday or Friday and get them behind the shelves. "It is difficult to say how many tons there are, and the regrowth was also a bit disappointing," says Boer, who was able to harvest under good conditions. The heavier soils quickly become too hard on several plots.
Harvesting Dronten
Yesterday (Tuesday 7 September) the seed onions on the plot of Aeres Hogeschool Dronten (Flevoland) were also harvested. In contrast to the Kortgene and Eenrum plots, the tops of the onions had completely died.
Loading onions Nagele
In Nagele (Flevoland), the seed onions were left in the swath for 2 days before they disappeared behind the shelves in the shed. Onion grower Harmjan Hospers said earlier that the size was a bit disappointing. About 50% of the seed onions in the field were coarse.
Ironing does not happen by itself
Although the majority of onion plots were ironed by themselves or due to the enormous infestation of leaf diseases, this does not apply to every plot. In particular, the slow-growing onions seem to need help. The plots with a hollow position are often still standing proudly. In order to flatten the onions, you can opt for mechanical ironing. Reinder Hogenhout, onion grower from Kimswerd (Friesland) helped his onions that were having a hard time ironing.
Drought
The first harvesters are now standing still due to the drought. Especially on the heavier soils, this leads to too much damage, forcing the onion growers to postpone the harvesting. Especially with the heat these days, precipitation must first come in these areas before harvesting can be done at full speed again.
Jesse Torringa
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