Onions from seed.

[Aberdeenplotter]

It used to be traditional for the man of the house to slope off on Christmas day (Just about when the dishes needed washing!) and go and sow his show onions. Likewise on New Years Day for his show leeks.
In these politically correct times this is probably now frowned upon!

It's not so much not pc matey, the 'big growers' are setting their's off so early - october even, so the rest of us have to do likewise. Show leeks now being started from pips in Sepetmber. I'm sure I'll find something else to do to avoid the dishes

[Bigmallly]

Sowed some Bedfordshire Champion yesterday in my new fangled Prop-Bottle experiment. When they germinate, I'll sow some more in another bottle........what a good feeling. I didn't realise how much I missed it........Will be keeping tuned into this thread though as it's my 1st year growing onions from seed.

[Aberdeenplotter]

funny innit, there's another thread running with folks giving up on onions yet here there is the opposite trend

[Potstubsdustbins]

funny innit, there's another thread running with folks giving up on onions yet here there is the opposite trend

I think the weather this year has put a lot of people certain things especially those plants that failed for them.

This year certainly was not a year to make judgements on anything the weather played havoc for a lot of people.

Colin

[veggiechicken]

I've tried onion seeds and sets, neither have been very successful But I'll keep trying, especially under expert guidance I don't expect prize winners but anything edible would be a real achievement and very satisfying

[Bigmallly]

funny innit, there's another thread running with folks giving up on onions yet here there is the opposite trend

Yes AP, I find it strange how some veg is easy to grow for some yet others struggle, I guess there is no rhyme or reason. I don't know if it is growing conditions or just lady luck.

[Aberdeenplotter]

VC, one thing I should say about onions grown for the kitchen in the ground. Onions are gross feeders. Dig in as much muck/compost as you can get your hands on. Also throw a few handfuls of garden lime over the bed they will be grown in and once they start growing, be fussy about weeding as they don't like competition from weeds.

I grow my kitchen onions in rows (looks over shoulder for ZaZ ) 18" apart so there is plenty room to keep the hoe going and to rake off any weeds.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Yes AP, I find it strange how some veg is easy to grow for some yet others struggle, I guess there is no rhyme or reason. I don't know if it is growing conditions or just lady luck.

Combination of both matey I suspect but I know that by moving my crops around the plots in a scheme of rotation keeps the ground in good heart and that is really the basic requirement.

[Snadger]

The only thing that puts me off growing the big onions is the space they take up if you want to do them justice.
I have grown the Kelsae and Robinsons Mammoth with good results before. The Mammoth red onions are particularily flavourfull !

Come to think of it,I haven't grown them for a few years.................... maybe its time I did again this year, but grow them slightly closer together to keep the size down.

[veggiechicken]

VC, one thing I should say about onions grown for the kitchen in the ground. Onions are gross feeders. Dig in as much muck/compost as you can get your hands on. Also throw a few handfuls of garden lime over the bed they will be grown in and once they start growing, be fussy about weeding as they don't like competition from weeds.

I grow my kitchen onions in rows (looks over shoulder for ZaZ ) 18" apart so there is plenty room to keep the hoe going and to rake off any weeds.

You know me too well Ap

[Vince G]

Also going to give growing from seed a go this year. Got Beds Champion and Red Baron. Always feel sets are a bit of a cheat, so going to do them old school this year for the first time. Was planning to wait until the new year, but if you've already started....guess what I'm going to be doing at the weekend!

Wish I'd grown more onions last year to be honest, as we get through so many. Used the last one from last year's crop in Sunday's gravy, so we've not done badly, but got to buy them now for the next 7 months or so.

I have some trays with 32 x 2" modules and am going to start them off in the bedroom which is never overly hot (deliberately, as nothing worse than a hot bedroom). Lottie is divided up into plots of 18' x 10', so I reckon that's 90 eaach of red and white. Mmmm!

Nice to be doing proper planting again. Chucked a few winter gem and some peas in the poly to see what happens, but that's really just an experiment. Onion planting is proper!

[Vince G]

Can you recommend which onion to grow from seed, Ap - for those of use who don't have a Peter Glazebrook seed source?

VC, as I've siad in my post down below, I'm giving it a go for the first time, but if they don't succeed it's not too late to cheat and stick some sets in around March time. Yhat's going to be my plan B

[veggiechicken]

I have a plan C - when all else fails go to the farmer's market

[Vince G]

...and I felt guilty about sets! Bad girl!

[veggiechicken]

I feel no guilt about supporting local growers They need me to make all their efforts worthwhile. In fact, I could skip the seedsowing bit completely and go straight to the market - but I won't of course