Onion Exhibition takes over where the parent seed fails
Monster veg fans and show bench growers will love the show bench onion Exhibition, introduced by Johnsons. It’s a progeny of the grower’s favourite, The Kelsae, whose seeds are in short supply, and should be a good substitute for its parent. Johnsons says that it’s so close to The Kelsae that only its breeder can really tell the difference. Read more about growing giant vegetables.
David Kerley, better known as a flower breeder and the Cambridgeshire man responsible for Tumbelina petunias, tells the story.
Exhibition – ‘One significant point of difference’
He said: “I planned to develop an onion to rival The Kelsae. When grown side by side with The Kelsae and other giant onions, there is one significant point of difference which I, and only I, know, so I can always identify my variety.
“This was proven in official trials, where the experts could not see the difference, but in three different unlabelled plots, I was able to pick out Exhibition. During the breeding, we grew onions of about 2kg with simple culture, and without the tender, loving care an enthusiast would give.”
Seed crops of The Kelsae have been uncertain recently, but Johnsons hopes to have a reliable supply available as soon as possible. Exhibition is available from garden centres and at www.johnsons-seeds.com – visit the website for current prices.
