Topic: Overwintering onions

[Chrissie]

I've just bought some baby onion plants from Dobbies garden centre - simply named "onions" by the helpful growers  ??? - which are supposed to be planted from July to crop early next summer. So far so good - I presume these will turn into "sets" by autumn which would be the right time to plant. The thing is they've already got leaves about a foot long. Should I leave these on or trim them? Also how deeply should they be planted?? Any other tips???

Thanks - I'd be really grateful for any help.

[calendula]

are they 'baby' onion as in meant to be small onions or are they 'baby' as in the size of the plants now - either way I would be tempted to trim the tops off a bit (they've probably been growing somewhere too warm) so that they put some energy into bulbs - don't plant too deeply, just covering the base as you'll presumably be planting them again when they are bigger? If they have been grown on too warm make sure you don't subject them to a drastic change in temperature, do it gradually.

[Chrissie]

Thanks Calendula - the picture on the label is of huge ordinary onions so I assume they'll grow.

Very helpful advice; I wouldn't have thought of hardening them off at this time of year but yes I'm sure you're right. They look pampered.

Cheers!