Topic: Onion Sets

[Doris_Pinks]

How do I put in my onions, a simple question I know! I have always just pushed them into the ground and that was it, but I read the packet today (after I had pushed in rather a lot!) and it says dig in 1" deep! Have I been going wrong?
Dotty P

[Palefire]

I think with sets, as long as the tunic or skin isn't damaged when being pushed in the ground and you don't push them too deep, (with the tip showing - realised this when I wrote the post further down!) then you should be ok.
I grew mine in pots last year after the ones in the ground never appeared and they did ok. I am going to prepare the ground by raising the level a bit - it can get a bit water logged in winter - and try direct planting again.
Good luck with them
Love, Palefire
xxx

[Palustris]

We always start ours off in plant pots, otherwise the blackbirds etc. hoick( like that word) them out of the ground before they have made proper roots. If your soil is nice and soft and friable then you can push them in to the soil, no trouble until the shoulder of the set is just below soil level. If your ground is firm then it is better to use a trowel to avoid damaging the basal plate of the set. Damage to this can cause rotting. About an inch deep sounds right to me. It is enough to keep the birds off without depriving the onion of light.  If you have had no problems in the past then what you are doing is right for you.

[Palefire]

Palustris - do you reckon the birds had my sets last year? I put them in with the very tip just about showing and never saw anything after that. I have also had all of my daffs (around 150) nicked by something like a squirrel this year >:(.
Love, Palefire
xxx

[Colin_Bellamy-Wood]

I covered all my onion sets, and my baby leeks when I transplanted them, with bird-netting.   I used 2ft green canes on the slant to keep the netting just off the ground so that as they grew, the leaves pushed the netting up, and little damage was done when I eventually removed the netting.   Our problem is ring-necked doves, and rats, and I reckon the netting minimised the potential damage.

[legless]

a lottie neighbour just gave me a load of sets and showed me how he plants them and his go in only 1/2 way. so i've done those that way and will do another lot a bit deeper and see how they all go. i am the onion lady, he gave me 300 sets, i'm waiting for a delivery of 200, Ceri, i really hope you menat it when you said you'd like some  ;D

[Ceri]

sorry for delay, just got back from dropping eldest at Univ - don't think of it as losing a daughter, but as gaining a life!!  Love some onion sets if you can spare some(!) - let me know when you are going to be around - or e-mail me and I'll come and pick them up.

Cheers

Ceri

[tim]

may I suggest - don't PUSH them in, or they will just push themselves out again when they root.  Make the hole first - and put them in to just cover the tip.

I reckon worms can be just as destructive as birds - I have to check every day to make sure that none have been pulled out. Boring as hell when you have 600! But netting or fleecing has to be good.  - Tim

[Doris_Pinks]

600! wow makes mine look pathetic! Have only planted half, so will dig in the next lot, am I supposed to be giving them manure? or something else equally yummy? (I never do well with me onions!) Dotty P.

[legless]

ok Cerig the onions have arived - got delivered to a neighbour who was v.suspicious as to what this package was smelling slightly in her hallway ;D

so i shall email you to arrange a time to offload some on you!

i have planted 4 rows of the lottie onions and i'll do a few of red and a row or 2 of the yellow ones i bought. and thyen i think i'll have run out of allotment space but still have buckets of sets!!! :D

am going to try all the different planting methods recommended - hubby is a scientist and experimental onion planting will appeal to him and keep him a bit more interested!!

[tim]

DP - they do like a rich soil, though not as important for sets as for seed sown plants - 'he' says! So old muck or good compost. They would also appreciate a dressing of general fertiliser.

600? This year we got 30 - white rot! - Tim

[Beer_Belly]

Is now the right time to plant onions ? or am I missing something ?
I know it's garlic time but onions? what type?

[teresa]

Hi BB

I have Japanese Senshyu onion sets to go in, should be ready for harvesting may to july.
but realy worried about white onion rot so trying some at home and rest down the lottie.
Teresa

[legless]

mine are 'electric' which are reds and 'summergold' which are yellow. just been delivered by marshalls so i bloody hope its the right time  :D

they are autumn sets, the blokes down our lotties call them japanese onions....

[tim]

don't let's get confused - autumn onions go in now - most go in in March, or thereabouts - like shallots - garlic can go in now or as late as February - read the instructions! - Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Phew   :o ...thanks Tim and everyone else, I was begining to think I should be buying onions and preparing a bed rather than just digging and weeding and digging and weeding.  I shall wait until the new year before I get onions in, when hopefully the old plottie will be looking beautiful!   ;D

[Mrs Ava]

useless woman I am!  I forgot all about an order I made for winter onions!  tut!!  Oh well, they arrived today, so I am going to have to prepare a bed for them, not too much of a problem as two thirds of the plot is dug, just needs breaking up a little and some chicken poo sprinkled over.  Mice or birds muck mine up in the garden, so I will take all of your advice and plant them just out of site of the little critters and hope the worms or moles don't take an interest!   ;D