WHAT fantastic weather over the weekend and through the week! It seems to be a bit of an Indian summer. For myself it was a bit of a relaxing weekend in the garden and a chance to enjoy the last of the summer wine!

However, on Sunday I was asked to present the prizes at the World Leek and Onion Championships, held this year in Maryport. Let me tell you, these were not the normal sized leeks and onions!

These were the giants of the leek and onion world, grown for size and weight. From my photograph – which really does not do it justice – you will see the largest and heaviest onion which won in the show. It was the size of a football and weighed in at 13lb and 110z just under a stone in weight.

The competitors were from all over the UK and Europe and do take it very seriously!

These large leeks and onions are due to both the variety and the dedication of the growers in the careful nurturing of them. I did try to find out the secrets of growing them to such a size, but my questions were met with tight lips and gasps for asking the question!

Interestingly, following the show, what do you think they do with those giant leaks and onions? You might think they would end up in a recipe, maybe a stew or a soup dish. Well no – in fact the onions are left for a few weeks to rest and are then replanted. Bearing in mind that the top of the plant has been removed along with the roots, it’s a bit like planting a giant onion set, though it’s done for one purpose only, and that is for the onion to make seed.

The same is done with the leeks, only these are replanted within a day or so, and the top growth of the leeks is cut back hard then the plant is allowed to make seed.

These growers are always looking for better and larger plants, and by selectively choosing seeds from the prize-winning plants they hope to constantly improve each year.

Talking of vegetables, autumn is a key part of the year to sow and plant out many vegetables, for example autumn sowings of broad beans can be made. A hardy variety for our coastal area is The Sutton and it’s not a tall variety, only growing to around 18 inches, so they’re good for the small garden.

Autumn sowings of peas can also be made, but be aware that peas are broadly divided into round-seeded varieties (which are ideal for autumn sowing) and wrinkle seeded varieties which are less hardier, though tend to be sweeter. A very hardy variety is “Meteor” which is good for growing in exposed situations.

It’s also a good time to be sowing spring onions. A good variety here is White Lisbon Winter Hardy which will stand over the winter and is suited to our harsher climates. Autumn onion sets can also be planted, which when established will be hardy to stand over the winter months, and as such will give an earlier crop than spring planted onion sets, normally harvesting May to June.

Troy is a good performer, whilst Electric – a red-skinned variety – and Snowball – a white-skinned one – will also perform well in our part of the country.

In addition to onion sets, autumn planting of shallots can be undertaken. Two good autumn varieties are Griselle and Jermor, both torpedo-shaped shallots. And not forgetting that other onion-like bulb, garlic. Autumn is also time to plant garlic cloves, just be aware that there are two types of garlic the “hardneck” and” softneck” and the names are a clue to the way they grow. The most common varieties grown are the softnecks because these store much better than the hardneck types.

Though both types are easy to grow, however if I was to pick one variety to grow then it would be one of the best varieties of softnecks which is Solent Wight. This has a strong garlic flavour and tightly-packed cloves which also means it stores exceptionally well.