Topic: Spring Onions to transplant??

[Mothy]

Has anyone ever tried to start Spring Onions in  the greenhouse and then transplant them out later?

I didn't have much luck with them last year sowing direct, even though I did several sowings at various stages. They seemed to take forever.

[sandersj89]

Yes, I sow them in the module trays. About 6 seeds per cestion and and then transplant the lot out when big enough to handle.

Instant bunch of spring onions per module. Seems to work fine for me.

Jerry

[Alimo]

I started sowing outside last year - then read from Tim and EJ about starting off  a bunch-full in sections in trays, then to fill in any gaps with them outside. 

Perfect !!  Also far, far easier imho.

Alison

[Dan 2]

This wil help me aswell because Im growing them for the first time this year!  ;D

[cleo]

Sowing in a module as suggested by Tim works here

[jennym]

I used to have problems with spring onions, but someone told me to do it this way, and it worked for me. Mark out a square of good fine soil, about a metre square.Rake it nicely, and water so it's moist.
Then broadcast a couple of pinches of the seeds over just this square, sieve some soil over to cover very lightly.Water every day. If by any chance they don't come through within 2 weeks, just do the same again. And again. I just used one seed packet of Ishikura, two pinches at a time.
I persevered, and eventually ended up with a beautiful square metre of lovely thickly sown spring onions. Also, as I pulled during the summer, I sprinkle more seed on. I am still pulling the last of them from this patch.
Normally, I would sow seeds in rows, but this for some reason worked where the rows didn't. Maybe it was easier to keep such a small patch watered well.

[supersprout]

That sounds good jenny, any chance of a picture of same square metre? Will definitely give this a go as I have had no luck with spring onions at all so far ???.

[Tora]

Interesting topic! I'm trying Ishikura this year for the first time and I've sown seeds in a pot indoors. They all germinated and doing well. Presumably I can just transplant the whole thing as a bunch? Can I prick out each plant and transplant individually if I wanted? Do they grow better as a bunch? ???

[Curryandchips]

Yet another one here with zero success with spring onions - I always presumed it was due to my ineptitude, it is so reassuring to see experienced gardeners with the same problems. I may try the square metre technique, using any remaining seed that I have.

[grawrc]

I had a great crop last year in my first lottie season not knowing there could be problems.
Then I sowed some overwintering ones in late Oct/early Nov and they have mostly been washed away by the weather... :'(

[Mothy]

Thanks for the tips all, I've sown some in modules today in the Greenhouse to see how I go. I've put in Ishikura, white lisbon & Deep Purple. I've got lots of seed to keep sowing in succession.

I might try Jenny's broad cast technique later in the spring when the ground is warmer!

Thanks for your help  :)

[tim]

DO REMEMBER strict rotation with onions- spring onions get white rot too!

[RSJK]

Grawrc  spring onions to stand the winter should be sown early September, on the farm we always would try to sow them on the 6th of sept weather permitting. they need time to establish before the winter sets in.

[jennym]

... any chance of a picture of same square metre? ...

Its not a very good one, taken late last year:

[supersprout]

that would be good enough for me jen! thanks ;D

[Mothy]

Looks good to me too Jenny, I always begrudge the money we spend on salad stuff, especially spring onions!

[stuffed]

I've tried a couple of times and had pretty much given up but I've still got some seeds in date so I'll have another go now I've got some new things to try.

[sussexcliff]

And there I was looking at my spindly row thinking 'How on earth am I going to transplant those.'

Brilliant, the sq m method sounds a clever way to get succession and insurance if one lot is slow to germinate or to come on.

Many thanks.
Cliff