Hi Jvt I can only comment on the onions and shallots and they wouldn't need too much manure and depending on your soil they shouldn't need any compost, as long as your soil is not too heavy and clayie (if that's a word ) .They should be fine without mulching , I used to grow show onions but I used to grow them from seed, planting them on Boxing Day, Roy.

Hi Jvt, I set some of these onions for the first time in October last year. My soil is nothing special ( bit on the heavy side ), but 26 of the 30 I set produced some really good, big onions. And I did no mulching at all or anything else, just kept them watered regularly.

Great, thank you.