Topic: Where can i get winter onions?

[baggieboy]

Hi  there,

Was just wandering when/where i can get winter onions from. I ordered a catalouge abot 2 weeks ago from marshalls but it's still not arrived. Iv'e checked a few times in B&Q and Homebase but nothing.

I'm not 100% sure if there even available yet. I'm gonna plant some garlic later but would love to grow some winter onions .

Any ideas

P.S sorry for being so newby :P

[supersprout]

Hey baggie, most seed catalogues will have had a last order date for autumn hunion sets of August >:( but where do you live?
Downham Market Garden Centre - Senshyu Yellow sets 500g for £1.50 :D
If you're not within reach, any good family-run garden centre?
I was newby with overwintering onions last year, complete convert now :P
Good luck  :)

Later - Just spotted another post that said Kings and T&M still have some ::)

[LILACSPLASH]

went to the garden centre this week for some garlic, like you I've ordered some but not here yet (I get a bit twitchy if there's something to be planted and there's good weather!) anyway I found some and overwintering red onions right at the back. At the mo it's all autumn bulbs but if you look right where you wouldn't expect them... ::)

[natasha]

I got mine from Wilko a week ago.

[Merry Tiller]

There'll be loads in the shops soon, i'll give a second vote for Wilko's

[baggieboy]

Bit rubbish for wilckos round here, will still get to the nearest one though. Ill try a garden centre the weekend

im in West Bromwich BTW bout 3 miles out of brum

[cambourne7]

Kings have over wintering onions for 99pence
and garlic for 1.99

[saddad]

We get ours from the lottie shop but they are having trouble with suppliers and I had to cut back to 1kg of sets,...
 ;D

[cambourne7]

we dont have an allotment shop.

In fact we dont even have allotment building ( yes that means no toilet! compost or otherwise )

[Hyacinth]

Bought mine today from Wyevale, Bournville (when I was there collecting yet another freebie pot of daffodils) 8)

In my garden I don't have space for all the onions I'd like to grow, so a few Electra red onions are all I can manage. Bought them at W'vales last year - 49p for 50. Result = 50 large and lovely onions. Hoping for a repeat performance ;D

[autumn leaf]

I bought some red onion sets at local garden centre last weekend.  Am planning to plant them this weekend - have never planted onion sets this time of year before - will they really stand through the winter or will I have to protect them with fleece?  Any info welcome.  :)

[Tora]

I checked Wilko a few days ago and they didn't have any edible bulbs. They had only flower bulbs. :(

[Chantenay]

Garden Organic (HDRA) at Ryton near Coventry had three varieties last week- senshyu and another white, plus one red.

[Hyacinth]

I bought some red onion sets at local garden centre last weekend.  Am planning to plant them this weekend - have never planted onion sets this time of year before - will they really stand through the winter or will I have to protect them with fleece?  Any info welcome.  :)

I'm in Birmingham & last winter wasn't harsh. My Electra sets were covered with mesh, mainly to protect them from being pulled up by birds, but also would have protected them from the worst of the frost? I'll be doing the same again - unless someone tells me that fleece is the way to go?

[Hot_Potato]

sorry to ask a basic question but....what exactly is the advantage of over wintering onions.....are they ready much earlier than the others then?.....mine havn't grown very big this year for some reason - lack of water maybe - and I seem to be getting thru them soooo quick - maybe cos I've made more chutneys and pickles than usual. Will I get onions quicker by planting some now?

[supersprout]

Advantages?

Growing during the winter, pulling up May/June so the growing area is free for transplants
Lots of water whilst they are small
Reasonable keeping quality - I've not had problems keeping them, but then all ours were eaten by the end of June! :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you're in Birmingham any time, they've got overwintering onions in the Bull Ring, just by the meat stalls.

[Hyacinth]

I autumn plant for SS's reasons - freeing the ground when they're lifted - just at the time when I'm ready to plant out produce grown in modules and it's a great boost to harvest a crop so early. I've still got 20 left out of the 50 I planted and just checked - all present & correct 8), tho I've read that spring sown have better keeping qualities than autumn.

[shirlton]

Hi there we have been looking in Wilkies for the last month for the jap onions and yesterday we decided to ask the assistant. He took us straight to them. Guess where they were. right next to the crocus bulbs. 50 for 90p and they look ok

[djbrenton]

According to our supplier, onion set production is down this year so they will be in short supply ( that's both over-wintering and spring planted sets ). They've already been advised that there will be no add-on orders.

If anyone has real problems finding any, our allotment shop can supply radar at 49p plus postage for 50 onions while stocks last.