Onions. Worth it ?

[Florence Fennel]

Worth it? Absolutely. I love reducing my son-in-law to tears. When he slices them, I hasten to add. The taste is so much better than shop bought. I'm a convert BTW, I thought it wasn't worth growing them because they are so cheap to buy, but I was Wrong!

[Kirk]

Interesting set of replies, and somewhat more then expected.

Would actually appear that success is in the minority. I suspect I will not bother to any extent next time round.

Which means not buying a bag of onion sets as I might plant 10 or 12 then have to throw the rest. I am not going to fill half the area with onions that I would be surprised at actually growing.

There must be better options. Better go look up what they are.

[Paulieb]

This year I grew a few types of onion as the seed is so cheap. I would recommend a variety (from seed) called white sweet spanish. It was a really sweet onion and nice with a salad.

I think spacing, weeding and water seem to more important to onions than most other crops, in terms of getting a nice fat bulb.

[chilli_grower]

I grew ishikura spring onion from seed, and ailsa craig from seed.

And turbo and red baron from sets.

THe spring onions ended up being fantastic, although very limp for their first few months of life. I almost threw them in the bin to be honest, because they looked so feeble.

THe onion seed, and sets all turned out with tennis ball sized bulbs.

VEry please for a first attempt.

THey were all grown in a raised bed.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Growing onions is easy. Just ask Potty

[Samurailord]

I grew onions this year for the first time.

I planted out over 100 sets in a brand new raised lasagne bed, both red and white, and they came up fine in the Autumn, but over the long winter I lost over 90% of them to the frost.

I then got two bags of onions and one of shallots from the local pound shop and started them all off in the poly tunnel planted in individual modules.

Some onions went into my square foot gardening bed, 9 to a square, the rest replaced the onions killed over winter.

The onions planted close together in the square foot bed have been great - every single one has survived and most are what I wouild describe as 'large'.

Those in the open bed, however, struggled from day one. They all survived but most didn't put on much weight from when they were planted out.

Both the open bed and square foot gardening bed have been created using the same lasagne method so it can't be anything in the soil, but I'll be damned if I can explain the different growth rates.

I am going to plant again this year, starting the sets off in the poly tunnel before setting them out in the square foot beds before the winter starts, but with a backup plan of getting more in the spring if I need to.

Andy

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have always grown red onions from sets and get a reasonable harvest. This year I tried growing from seed for the first time and thanks to the help and advice from the Vine but mainly AP did reasonably well.

I don't find spacing a real problem providing you give them what they need, a rich bed or if you grow in containers extra feed and of course water. The main thing I have learnt this year is that if you support the leaf structure you get a much better result to the extent all my onions and shallots will be supported next year.

Guess which of the three shallots was not supported.

Potty

[lottie dolly]

I love the challenge of growing most things,it's great watching it develop,is satisfying just knowing you done that,no one else,if i only had access to a small plot,then i would buy them,

[WendyC]

I've had several people comment on how good my onions were this year. I was encouraged to enter the village show but am too lazy for that. This year it did some from seed as I like a new challenge and they were great. Santero is a good onion if you've lost onion to downy mildew. Just planted Senshyu Yellow today. I let them get on with it overwinter and as Zazen said a weed and a handful of pelleted chicken manure in early spring and off they go.

[stella]

I have always grown red onions from sets and get a reasonable harvest. This year I tried growing from seed for the first time and thanks to the help and advice from the Vine but mainly AP did reasonably well.

I don't find spacing a real problem providing you give them what they need, a rich bed or if you grow in containers extra feed and of course water. The main thing I have learnt this year is that if you support the leaf structure you get a much better result to the extent all my onions and shallots will be supported next year.

Guess which of the three shallots was not supported.

Potty

Hi how did you support them?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Very makeshift this year 24" green canes and loops made out of wire.

Having proved it works I shall be purchasing the proper plastic ties to go on the canes next year.

Potty

[Snadger]

I have allium white rot in my soil but still grow loads of onions to a reasonabale size.
Along with last years Japanese Troy onion sets which we will be finished eating soon (eaten first as they don't keep) I have Centurion onions grown from spring planted sets waiting in the wings along with red onions from seed and torpedo onions and shallots also.
These should see me through to April/May anyway.
I have planted Troy onions sets and still have other white onions and red onion sets still to go in.

I have found that the ones I overwinter planted in the cold frame with the glass over them until the spring do a litle bit better than the ones I plant in the rest of the allotment and bulb up quicker too.

[Snadger]

The reason onions may not be doing well is Ph should be around 6.5. Sunny position required with lots of organic matter in the soil. A balanced fertiliser with equal parts NPK should be applied at planting time and maybe liquid feed during the growth period if you like (1 don't). I like to grow my stuff 'ard' so no watering after they are established unless they are showing signs of wilting.

[Vegpatchkid]

We've only been dabbling with growing our own veg for a few years and haven't had much luck either with onions, however, I found a thread on the forum a while ago with some great information about growing onions (mainly from Aberdeenplotter I think), so armed with that knowledge we'll be having another bash at it.
And we never intended to save money by growing stuff, it was more for the freshness/taste and satisfaction of growing something. But I guess everyone has their own reasons.
Not sure if this is how to link the page, but the thread was called onions from seed, so try searching for that if the link doesn't work.
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eed_69067.html

[Tripmeup]

I always have good success with onions... Don't do much with them...
Sow seed ones and then transplant into ground when ready
Sets I put in and keep well weeded, and throw my rabbit poo at them in the Spring...bingo!!