Onions from seeds or sets, what do you do and prefer?

**Penellype** · 05-09-2015, 06:57 AM

I much prefer sets - if my attempts at spring onions are anything to go by I would have the equivalent of chives by autumn if I tried growing from seed.

I always start my sets off in the spring due to lack of space at this time of year.

**sparrow100** · 05-09-2015, 07:04 AM

My first ever onions were grown from seed this year, with nary a problem. Am about to harvest onions which are the size of a large grapefruit. It was so easy I don't think I will bother with sets - with the added bonus that you can't import white rot with the seeds. My plot neighbour has white rot and I want to avoid it.

This is a good thread: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eed_69067.html

**sparrow100** · 05-09-2015, 07:05 AM

So there you have 2 diametrically opposed opinions! Ain't gardening great.

**Bex** · 05-09-2015, 08:09 AM

I'm going to attempt onions from seed in January for the first time after years of growing from sets. Just really to see if I can do it. I had white rot on my sets this year.

**WendyC** · 05-09-2015, 08:22 AM

I've grown both this year, including the same variety from sets and seeds. I grew Santero and Bedfordshire Champion from seed. Then I grew Santero from sets.
The Santero sets were ready before the seed grown but were of a similar size. I had one or two set grown bolt but no seed grown. The Bedfordshire Champion were quite a bit smaller with few big ones. No real difference with amount of white rot.
I reason I like to start seeds is it makes it feel like the growing season has started!

**Martin H** · 05-09-2015, 08:50 AM

The last couple of years I've grown T&M First Early overwintering onions from sets planted in the autumn and they've been good and mostly trouble-free. I did get some white rot this year, but most likely I inherited that in the soil from the previous grower on my plot.

This year I also grew maincrop onions from seed sown in modules in January. Variety "Globo" was great and trouble-free. I went through phases of thinking they would never amount to anything, but they ended up just fine. I also grew variety "Red Baron" in exactly the same way but these were hopeless. Go figure. No white rot on any of the seed-grown ones though.

For 2016 I'm trying some overwintering onions from seed ("Senshu Yellow"). Last time I tried this they all got the grey mould before I could plant them out, but fingers crossed. They have germinated nicely so I'm hopeful.

I'll definitely do "Globo" or similar from seed again next year too.

**sparrow100** · 05-09-2015, 09:17 AM

I've got Ailsa Craig, Long Red Florence shallot and I think Bedfordshire Champion ready for starting in January, and I quite like the look of Borretana di Parma from Seeds of Italy.

**seasprout** · 05-09-2015, 09:31 AM

I sometimes do both... But my best ever onion crops have been from seed.
I did seed last autumn and had fantastic onions this year, so I'm doing red onions from seed soon for next year.

It's actually quite easy, I do mine in 24 segment cell trays.

**Bex** · 05-09-2015, 09:41 AM

Originally posted by seasprout View Post

I sometimes do both... But my best ever onion crops have been from seed.
I did seed last autumn and had fantastic onions this year, so I'm doing red onions from seed soon for next year.

It's actually quite easy, I do mine in 24 segment cell trays.

Seeds in autumn? Can they be sown soon then?

**Bigmallly** · 05-09-2015, 10:09 AM

All my Autumn sets are in plus I've also sowed a tray of Senshyu seeds (for the first time) which have just started to germinate so we will see how they fair against the sets.

**vixylix** · 05-09-2015, 11:01 AM

I used sets this year with varied results. I'm going to try all seed next year!

**meteor** · 05-09-2015, 11:39 AM

I usually do both, I have radar onion sets which will planted next week and 2 trays of Japanese Senshyu seedlings which should be ready by month's end for planting and overwintering. In January/February I get my onion seeds on the go in modules; Robinson mammoth, Kelsae , Red Baron and Bedfordshire Champion. Later in the spring depending on the weather Sturon and/or Stutgarter sets. I do find especially with the overwinter types that the seed sown ones do not bolt and |I usually have bigger bulbs from both crops but that may be down to the varieties. Lucky I had a good harvest from my overwintered crop as I was unable to plant any main crop and just used the seedlings as spring onions in salads.

**Alison** · 05-09-2015, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by Bex View Post

Seeds in autumn? Can they be sown soon then?

I sow the over wintering type in August, hopefully will be potting on in a day or two.

**4390evans** · 05-09-2015, 05:02 PM

Ive started red barron from set for the past two year and both have been pathetic, they always bolt and are tiny, I dont think Im going to sow them again..

Do you guys put anything in your soil before planting or during?
This year I added chicken manure to my white onions and they were ok..

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Onions from seeds or sets, what do you do and prefer?

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