Onions from seed.

[Snadger]

Sadly none of my onion seeds germinated. Don't be like me and buy dodgy seeds from eBay

Will be buying sets instead. Hope everyone had more luck...

Never had much joy with Japanese onions from seed. The seed I used was from a good seed merchant but the amount of sets you can get for a cheaper price compared to the number of seedlings you get from a packet makes it a no-brainer for me.

[kitty12345]

Sadly none of my onion seeds germinated. Don't be like me and buy dodgy seeds from eBay

Will be buying sets instead. Hope everyone had more luck...

[Jay-ell]

Nice to know! I wanted to know how early one can sow - I’ve had better results from a few neglected Alisa Craig seedlings that I threw in a “if they live they live” thinking, than I’ve had from my sets. Packet says sow from Dec... will they bolt if sown sooner?

Edited to add - has anyone grown Tropea red onion before? Apparently sweet enough to eat like an apple? Presume as just an onion that it will grow well in this country too?

Sweetness depends on variety AND the amount of sulphur in the soil - less sulphur = sweeter, more sulphur = stronger

[muck lover]

My onions weren’t good this year. The ones from sets mostly bolted. I had a few I sowed from seed as a bit of a lark and although they weren’t very big they didn’t bolt. So maybe I’ll sow more from seed next year.

[WeeGarden]

Nice to know! I wanted to know how early one can sow - I’ve had better results from a few neglected Alisa Craig seedlings that I threw in a “if they live they live” thinking, than I’ve had from my sets. Packet says sow from Dec... will they bolt if sown sooner?

Edited to add - has anyone grown Tropea red onion before? Apparently sweet enough to eat like an apple? Presume as just an onion that it will grow well in this country too?

[Martin H]

Thanks for the reminder, Kitty! I'll be sowing mine tomorrow.

[burnie]

I am considering going back to sets next year, I'm struggling a bit with onions in the raised beds this year, poor growth and my soil is too light in the garden I think to grow mammoth sized ones.

[kitty12345]

Anyone growing overwintering onions from seed? I have just sowed mine...

[geepee]

^^^^^^ Exceptoinal growth for only 2 weeks Sel.!!!!

I dont have any experience of Portable grow lights ,
My lights are all Strip fittings ,Some T5 Fleurescent but mostly Led batons,all in enclosed cabinets.

T5 does give quite a lot of heat so therefore care needs to be taken to prevent scorching seedlings
LED has the advantage of generating LESS heat and cheaper /less power cost.

Often placing white card behind your plants on windowsills can help by Reflecting light.
Gp

[Selymbria]

Thank you GP. Your onions look great. Mine are sown indoors 2 weeks ago, they are White Lisbon spring onions.
All my propagators are in front of french windows and I have quite a few leggy seedlings.
Can you pls recommend a portable light I can use to cure this issue? What sort of light bulb do you use?

Many thanks
sel

[geepee]

Hi Selymbria,
Firstly, welcome to the vine and Thanks for the pic's, we like photos on here.
Good to know a bit about you and also your location, very helpful.
Secondly, your beds look great, ? which way do they face, Onions like to see the sun ..:

Your seedlings look 'Well grown' but with respect, a little straglly/sprawling,skinny, but quite ok non the less.
They may well benifit from a bit longer indoors if you have means to provide Light to encourage a more upright growth, ie grow lights or a very sunny window sill, (you may need to turn them daily toward the light on a window sill).
By all means Pot them on into larger pots .
Support with small canes etc to keep upright growth
In recent years Leek moth, Onion Thrip and Allium leaf miner has become a major problem ,particularly with seed sown onions Vs sets.
If you can devise /erect a means of covering your transplants with Enviromesh after planting out, or simialar until the threat has passed (possibly as late as end of may/early june it would give you a considerable advantage.

As a matter of interest, what was your sowing date,variety etc???
best of luck with them, you seem off to a good start.
Hope to hear more from you.
Gp
Heres an earlier photo of mine.taken on 28.02.2018

[Selymbria]

Onion newbie

Hi, brand new to the forum, first message, and first year of growing anything. These are my onion seeds: started in these propagators, are they ready now to plant outdoors or shall I transfer them to pots first? I just finished the attached raised bed in my garden. I live in Kent.
Regards.

[Jungle Jane]

Sowed these Red Baron seeds on the 15th January this is them today,never tried growing onions from seeds before so it’s good they’ve germinated

[ATTACH=CONFIG]78318[/ATTACH]

UPDATE -
It’s been an experiment whatever happens at the end! Next time I sow onions from seed,I’m going to sow a load in a tray & prick out the strongest seedlings,some aren’t strong at all are they & shrivel up but I’ve got three successful looking onion seedlings & what I thought was two onions in a pot turns out it’s a bit of grass or something that’s got in there I’ll cut that out & it might improve the growth of my fourth onion This is what they look like now -

[HoneyChild]

I bought welsh onion seeds from a supplier on Amazon, unfortunately I bought from one of those companies that sell all sorts of random things as opposed to specialising in gardening. Anyway, I sowed the seeds on 14/2/18 and they've been sitting in the airing cupboard with no sign of germination.

So yesterday I went to my local garden centre and bought welsh onion seeds by Jekka Herbs. Hopefully I'll have more luck this time around. It says on the packet they should germinate between 14 and 28 days.

[4Shoes]

Seeds want to grow... Keep the faith and be patient! Sow more seeds as a back-up, but given time, your original lot will probably come up.

They never did come.
Decided to bin the shallots at the time (there were 4 germinated in a 24 module) and put the onion tray to the side.
New onions are up and round my ears. A 2nd tray of shallots have another 4 germinators, but again disappointing. It was just bad seed ... ho hum.