Too late for onions?

[mrbadexample]

Just saw your post! i hope it ain't to late...

Thanks again Paul. Things keep dropping in my lap at the moment. Had to nip into town this morning, walked past a greengrocers and spotted some onions in modules. Kelsae, 99p for 10. So I bought 20.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[mrbadexample]

Ok, can someone tell me if I'm doing it wrong please?

I found a nice polystyrene box that had "onion container" written all over it. So I've filled it with compost / topsoil, and planted the onion sets:



I'm thinking that I need to just cover them over and water? Before I do that, I thought I'd check, so I can go and get them out again if I've done it wrong. Does the container need bringing in at night?

These are the Kelsae I bought today:



Do I just need to pop them in the raised bed, or wait until the last frost before I do so? If I need to wait, where should I keep the modules please?

Thanks,
MBE

^quite determined to grow an onion.

[pauco]

lol

In the time machine?

Oooops, ok lol, it should have read April trying to type one thing, thinking about others

paul.

[Two_Sheds]

Does the container need bringing in at night?

... or wait until the last frost before I do so?

Onions are hardy, which means they are OK with the cold. And don't cover them, have the tips just showing

[pauco]

Thanks again Paul. Things keep dropping in my lap at the moment. Had to nip into town this morning, walked past a greengrocers and spotted some onions in modules. Kelsae, 99p for 10. So I bought 20.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Jammy git springs to mind:

Would be interested to know.

Mine did arrive this am, got them in this afternoon.

paul.

[mrbadexample]

Jammy git springs to mind:

Yes. Yes I am.

But if you hadn't posted the name, I'd probably have passed them by.

[Maccabee]

It may be latem but can't hurt to try. I've just planted a few onions i'd raised from seed earlier today. The cats saw fit to destroy the first lot i did a month ago. They may never be massive onions, but i will have onions... if the cats see fit

[Lotsaveg]

MBE - That polystyrene box looks rather over-crowded to me... How much space have you left between sets?

[mrbadexample]

MBE - That polystyrene box looks rather over-crowded to me... How much space have you left between sets?

About 2-3 inches or so. It is my intention to start them here, then transfer to a raised bed if they grow. I don't want to take up bed space for something I suspect will fail. If they grow ok, I'll find room for them.

Please tell me if that won't work.

[Nicos]

I'm sticking some more onions in today- we've finally had a teeny bit of rain!!!!!

[Mick3142]

I use onions for companion planting, this works best it seems when young, and I crop the new growth as garnish, soup additives and even salad. This is far more nutritionally useful than a cooked (especially fried) onion. The other day I bought a whole ''Jamie Oliver'' onion kit containing three exotic onion types from Homebase for a pound. I have close planted them in a bed to the west (usual prevailing wind here) of my apple trees (total space 0.75 sq, metre) following my wallflowers. This is the 'danger time' of Codling moth (in my local experience) so we'll see how well it works as a counter measure. I did the same last year with some other exotic onion type and left one in, which has flowered and attended by bees and I hope to collect the seed (probably a useless cross but we'll see - I also have many flowering type alliums in my garden too so probably a pointless exercise). I am stupidly prone to buying Homebase and B&Q end of season discounts but that is the way I am. Onions (and garlic/leeks) I see as so valuable for ourselves and wildlife I do not mind when I put them in. Except of course the fairly critical planting time Japanese onion (Sensyu), which still seems to win again over the new varieties for me (having tried three overwinterers) Said by a guy whose garden profile seems to be mostly potato volunteers (as I have'nt the heart to dig them out) but at least they are good mates with my onions, and borage for my flowers.

[mrbadexample]

Thanks for the input Mick, and welcome to the Vine.