Author Topic: Onions seeds vs sets  (Read 4437 times)

squeezyjohn

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Onions seeds vs sets
« on: July 26, 2016, 22:37:52 »
It's an age-old question onion seeds or onions sets ... the conventional wisdom says that sets are easier but the cost more than seeds.  Having had a load of failures for years using onion sets I tried seeds for the first time last year and had an incredible crop for the first time ever!  Every time I had tried with both autumn and spring sown sets I ended up with onions which bolted to flower and were pretty much unusable (especially the red ones!).

This year I did a trial with both seeds and sets grown in the same patch (although admittedly different varieties) ... the sets were all slower to get going than the transplanted seedlings and all my sets have bolted again except for the odd exception.  None of my varieties grown from seeds have bolted and are now developing nice big bulbs.

Yes there is a little bit more effort involved in growing onions from seeds, but the method is pretty much identical to that for growing leeks from seeds which most gardeners do too.  I sowed mine thickly in large 12" diameter plant pots around Christmas (great as there's not much else going on that time of year!) and moved them from the window sill to the greenhouse once the seedlings had germinated.  Then I divided the pots in to clumps and planted the clumps outside in March and moved to their final individual destinations at the end of April (again just like transplanting leeks only not in holes).

I have never had an onion grown from seed bolt to flower - I understand if you re-plant the onion it will flower in the second year which is it's natural cycle ... which would explain why sets (which are just mini-onions grown last year) bolt so often.

Crystalmoon

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2016, 07:20:49 »
Hi Squeezyjohn I've never grown onions as even organic ones are cheap to buy & the onion sets seemed quite expensive so I read your post with lots of interest as I actually enjoy growing leeks so you have inspired me to try growing some onions from seed. Could you recommend a good variety for a novice to try? Thanks Jane

ed dibbles

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2016, 08:22:58 »
I too usually only grow onions from sets but this year decided to grow both seeds and sets. Unlike you I only rarely loose a majority set planted plot to bolting, It all depends on the season.

I gave both the seed and set beds a base dressing of lime and fertiliser, chicken pellets if I remember, in march and another general feed (growmore or its organic equivalent) early may to keep them going. I gave a small dressing of something called Ecothrive Charge (beetle manure!) late may and 2 weeks later. Onions really seem to respond to EC. Everything is planted in blocks about eight inches from one another.

They were left to mature and are really looking good; large healthy plants with bulbs to match. :icon_cheers:

The sets are bog standard Sturon and the seed varieties are Globo and a white onion called Kosma. Globo is a large variety and many of the Globo bulbs are huge. The Kosma are a good size too.

There has been no bolting this year, possibly because the feed regime kept them growing without a check. Of the two types I would trust seed sown ones not to bolt over sets.


Of course another season could turn everything learnt on its head. :happy7:

« Last Edit: July 27, 2016, 08:27:56 by ed dibbles »

Deb P

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2016, 10:05:26 »
I usually plant a combination of autumn sown sets and seeds, and get different results every year! Red onions are renowned for bolting, I found Electric sets did better than Red Baron, but I now grow successional batches of red onion salad onions and Florence Red instead which I leave until they are quite big.
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squeezyjohn

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2016, 11:41:46 »
Hi Squeezyjohn I've never grown onions as even organic ones are cheap to buy & the onion sets seemed quite expensive so I read your post with lots of interest as I actually enjoy growing leeks so you have inspired me to try growing some onions from seed. Could you recommend a good variety for a novice to try? Thanks Jane

Since it has started working much better for me with seeds it has proved to be very rewarding growing onions ... you get a nice big tangible crop which you can store over winter (at least with storage varieties).  I haven't really noticed one variety to be better than another - but one thing is for sure that you have a much bigger selection of varieties you can get as seeds than you can with sets.  I found last year that the giant exhibition variety Shirley makes pretty impressive big onions even if you don't pamper them and they are much sweeter than any regular varieties so great for salads or onion tarts ... however the really big ones normally don't store that long so they're the ones to use up first!

This year I am trying rose de Roscoff - the traditional Breton onions that were sold on strings by Frenchmen wearing berets!  They're doing great and are a lovely pinky purple colour - I'm also trying Zebrune banana shallots which are really just a kind of long mild onion (they don't split like a regular shallot) and again they are making nice looking smaller bulbs.  I haven't tried a full red variety from seed yet - and I naturally shy away from them as they have always bolted really early for me from sets ... but I think I'm getting confident enough to try from seed next year.

I know they're cheap in the shops - like potatoes also are - but I think growing your own is for other reasons than thrift sometimes too.

Crystalmoon

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2016, 12:16:35 »
Thanks Squeezyjohn I will try get some seeds of the varieties you mention & have a go. I totally agree, nothing quite like eating food you have grown yourself especially if it is just picked & super fresh. I grow potatoes even though I am allergic to them as my family tells me they taste so much better than shop bought ones. x Jane

ancellsfarmer

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2016, 21:37:22 »
Ed Dibbles, I think you have it right, no check means no bolting. It still amazes me that folks are reluctant to feed their soil and crops,they put in the hard work but baulk at chucking on a top dressing, carry thousands of gallons of water but do not pause to drop in the teaspoon of nutrient that would make all the difference. I was brought up to pray for a shower of rain every day and a shower of sh1* on Sundays!
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Beersmith

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2016, 22:32:37 »
I have always relied on sets but this discussion has made me resolve to try seed next year. To be honest I had always thought growing  big onions from seed was harder than using sets.  But I also had one of those happen chance events that we all experience now and then.

I sowed some Paris silverskin onions hoping to produce a lot of small round onions for pickling, but germination was a rather patchy. Given additional room to grow, and on a well prepared bed, I now have a splendid row of onions almost as big as a main crop variety but with the characteristic white with thin green ribs colour.

They look a bit odd and are way too big to pickle but will not go to waste. I love serendipity.

Cheers

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sparrow

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2016, 09:26:35 »
I've only ever grown onions from seed - I didn't bother for a few years because onions are cheap, BUT growing them is both very satisfying and the fresher bulbs are so much juicier than shop-bought.

I have Long Red Florence in as shallots at the moment, and they are waay bigger than either the Ailsa Craig or Rijnsburger onions. Nothing has bolted, and my onion care plan is one of general neglect and sporadic weeding, so I know it's not down to me!

Am about to sow Senshyu onions for overwintering. Space can be a bit limited for me as one of my plots has onion white rot.

squeezyjohn

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2016, 19:06:54 »
ancellsfarmer - I agree they need to be fed well and if you want big ones they do need enough space.  I tend to crowd mine in a bit and get a mixture of sizes which can be good to choose the right amount of onion for the dinner you're making.  Even with overcrowding some will win the root race and become as big as the ones with a wider spacing.

I give all manner of high nitrogen feed early on to get the leaves nice and big (the more leaves the bigger the onions will be - each leaf corresponds to one 'skin' in the bulb) ... Then before bulb formation starts around June I dress with potash (normally just wood ashes) and keep them watered.

I did try mulching once but will not fully mulch onions any more after it seemed to intensify the risk of white rot.  Constantly moist conditions around the bulb during formation seems to be a bad idea on my plot.

ancellsfarmer

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2016, 20:48:17 »
Knew a chap who was a fishmonger by trade. He took all his fish waste and trenched it for his onion bed. Admittedly he lived way out in the countryside, and had no neighbours, but I have never seen such onions.
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Vinlander

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2016, 10:46:59 »
Knew a chap who was a fishmonger by trade. He took all his fish waste and trenched it for his onion bed. Admittedly he lived way out in the countryside, and had no neighbours, but I have never seen such onions.

Talking about dead fish - it's probably worth pointing out that LDH says onions like a bit of salt because they are originally from the seaside. That might be why they benefit from woodash and can cope with quite a lot.

Cheers.

PS. anything you've seen in this thread about onions goes double or triple for shallots - except possibly the salt thing.
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George the Pigman

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2016, 20:10:57 »
I switched to seeds several years ago because of the problem of bolting and was pleased with the results until white onion rot set in. Last year I grew lots of onion varieties from seed but my shallots failed so I planted sets. Most of the seed varieties got the rot whilst all the sets were fine. I presumed it was because the seed varieties were longer in the ground so more likely to get it.
This year I grew all my onions by sets and am not too happy with them to date  but am waiting to harvest them to get a good look.

squeezyjohn

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Re: Onions seeds vs sets
« Reply #13 on: August 06, 2016, 11:41:21 »
Hi Squeezyjohn I've never grown onions as even organic ones are cheap to buy & the onion sets seemed quite expensive so I read your post with lots of interest as I actually enjoy growing leeks so you have inspired me to try growing some onions from seed. Could you recommend a good variety for a novice to try? Thanks Jane

Sorry - I just realised that the giant ones I grew this year were Kelsae not Shirley although both are large exhibition types!

Since it has started working much better for me with seeds it has proved to be very rewarding growing onions ... you get a nice big tangible crop which you can store over winter (at least with storage varieties).  I haven't really noticed one variety to be better than another - but one thing is for sure that you have a much bigger selection of varieties you can get as seeds than you can with sets.  I found last year that the giant exhibition variety Shirley makes pretty impressive big onions even if you don't pamper them and they are much sweeter than any regular varieties so great for salads or onion tarts ... however the really big ones normally don't store that long so they're the ones to use up first!

This year I am trying rose de Roscoff - the traditional Breton onions that were sold on strings by Frenchmen wearing berets!  They're doing great and are a lovely pinky purple colour - I'm also trying Zebrune banana shallots which are really just a kind of long mild onion (they don't split like a regular shallot) and again they are making nice looking smaller bulbs.  I haven't tried a full red variety from seed yet - and I naturally shy away from them as they have always bolted really early for me from sets ... but I think I'm getting confident enough to try from seed next year.

I know they're cheap in the shops - like potatoes also are - but I think growing your own is for other reasons than thrift sometimes too.

 

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