FOR NEW PEEPS onion and shallots roots

[Teds Mum]

I'm relatively new to growing onions and shallots. Last year was my first try,I basically tried everything.
Shallots planted in spring did well, we pickled most of them and saved some to plant again. These went back into the ground in Autumn and have just started to peep through now.

Onion sets I have not been as fortunate with - the Red Baron sets all bolted. I did save some seed from those so it's not all bad. I also grew onions from seed and these did much better but we're quite small and strong on account of the very hot dry weather. Overall I think I prefer to grow from seed.

I have not tried starting off sets indoors before. Does this give any advantage in how big they grow or is it just for the sake of growing something?

[fishpond]

Due to sets bolting, I now plant sets on or just after the spring equinox when few, if any bolt.
imo, now is way too early.

[lottie dolly]

the roots are not on account of trays,my post was to show what does go on under the ground,the trays are just an early start for twitchy fingers,also not every set will grow,so when you do plant out,you only plant healthy ones.

[Squingy]

Wow look at those roots. I didn't think to do onion sets in trays but now I'll give it a go.

[benb89]

I Placed sets into modules as per the original post and they look like they are doing very well. Would I be best moving them to the bed and with cloches over them? or is it too early. Like everything it seems different things are working for different people.

[the big lebowski]

hi , i went up the plot today , the onions and shallots have started growing ,it was pretty nice out , fingers crossed

[Martin H]

The thing about onions is that they are naturally biennial. Left to their own devices, they will:
- grow from seed into a bulb in the first year;
- sit dormant through a winter;
- send up a flower spike in the second year.
It's the winter dormancy that triggers them to send up the flower spike.

Onion sets are created by putting the plants into a sort of suspended animation. The seed is grown into a small bulb then the plant is dried off before it gets too big and before the cold weather comes. When the set is planted again the next spring, it wakes up and carries on from where it left off. It hasn't been through a winter so it behaves as if it's still in its first year and forms a nice bulb.

If you plant onion sets too early in the year, the cycle can be broken. A prolonged cold spell will make the plant realise it's actually going through a winter, so when the weather warms up it will usually bolt.

This is why you are better off sitting on your hands and delaying planting of sets until April. You will still have a head start on spring-sown seeds and there's much less risk of losing the crop through bolting.

Good luck to the early planters on here, the way the weather is this year you may well get away with it!

[Mark_Riga]

I planted my onion sets out yesterday. The weather is quite warm and they are a bit underground so shouldn't come to any harm even if there is a hard frost. I plant out onions and garlic in the autumn most years and they always do ok. If we get a long cold spell I would just expect them to be a bit slow to get going.

[the big lebowski]

ok thx for your thoughts ,i think ill leave them in the ground then , the soil was damp but there was no standing water or anything like that ,we had some rain yesterday but the weather looks good for the next week , ill keep you posted on how they are doing ,cheers

[Nicos]

hi thx for the reply , i went to wilkos yesterday and got 1 bag of white and 1 bag of red onions and a bag of yellow shallots , then i went up the plot and planted them all , do you think i have made a mistake ?

If we have a short, mild Spring then you will be ahead of us!
Personally I am cautious, but you just never know!
You can always buy more if you think they start rotting.
I have found that most plants whichself seed or grow outdoors early in the season tend to be much more hardy and disease resistant compared to those which are brought on indoors...
Be interested in a comparison!

[lottie dolly]

I personaly would not have put then direct into the ground just yet,all you can do is wait and see,were we are it's to wet,by the way,i am far from being an expert,just passing on what i picked up from here over the years,and a bit of what i learned for myself,we all do things with different variations

[the big lebowski]

hi thx for the reply , i went to wilkos yesterday and got 1 bag of white and 1 bag of red onions and a bag of yellow shallots , then i went up the plot and planted them all , do you think i have made a mistake ?

[lottie dolly]

I got a bag of wilcos in cell trays,put in 5 days ago,they have roots forming already,the green tops will start once the roots have established,2 sheds was the one who gave us this idea several years ago,only put them close together in a tray,all works the same,mine are only in cells,to make it easier for me when i plant out in a few more weeks,pop out and plant,where as side by side,you need to shake the roots out the compost,i am lazy,mine are inside ONLY because A i can keep a better eye on them,and B nowhere to put em outside under cover just YET,i would not put them in the cold ground yet,hence starting them of as above for an early start,good luck,

[the big lebowski]

great thread lottie , thx for starting it , looks like im running late with my onions and shallots ,ill have to get myself down wilko and get my sets , when did you 1st plant your sets in the trays ? if i get some onion and shalot sets tomorrow could i plant them straight outside ?

[Dynamite]

Thanks Lottie

Kind Regards.............Rob