autumn/winter onion bulbs or seeds ....

[zazen999]

Really? I always thought you were only supposed to plant the biggest cloves. Hmmm interestin, may have to do me own trial.

Yes, really.

[Tripmeup]

So going on the shallots explanation, where you plant a small clove of garlic, you will get a larger bulb with large cloves but fewer than where you plant a large clove..?? As in, a large clove will give you a bulb with more cloves but smaller ones..???

Knew about it for shallots, so suppose makes sense

[Snadger]

I've given up on autumn sown japanese onions as I get good results from Troy & Senshyu sets and it works out cheaper in the long run.
Both my autumn planted sets and my spring planted sets have done fantastically well this year, the former being used at the mo and the latter still to be lifted.
Out of about 300 sets, only two have ran to seed
The spring planted sets were only positioned about four inches apart but have still made sizeable onions..

[Snadger]

Oops!............................

[horticultural_hobbit]

Shallots were a bust. Over wintering onions were okay. Garlic was and is cracking. Got rust, and dug it up. Was my only success of my growing season. Split beautifully. Going to try again though, as the weather has been freakish. Not so sure about Red Electric onions. Were a beautiful red, just not very big.

[Alison]

Shallots were a bust.

Does that mean they were good or bad?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Bad, poor, shocking.

only pulled up three clumps. Got eaten by the weather.

[Tripmeup]

As far as I can see, twas a very good year for alliums...for me anyways

[Alison]

My garlic is better than normal but my onions are about half the size of last year and loads of bolted. Shallots are about normalish.

[Tripmeup]

Onions are doing very well..very big despite me planting them too close...
Shallots were good too particularly Jermor and Picasso..