Topic: Starting onions / shallots off in modules

[kippers garden]

What i'd like to know is do lots of you start your onion sets off in modules...if so when do you do this and where do you keep them ie cold frame/ unheated green house/ heated green house etc?  

Do you also start your shallots off the same way?

Do you only use modules for onion sets and shallots if the weather is bad?

Just curious...thanks for any replies

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've never put sets anywhere but the open ground, covered in mulch.

[aj]

Yes I do. I do it whenever I have onion sets and no ground to put them in and they sit in the greenhouse or ourside until I can get them in the ground.

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

I always start my onions in loo rolls in the greenhouse. Makes it easier to plant in the lotte.

[goodlife]

Yes I do....I start some shallots in cold greenhouse in modules. I also plant some straight into ground too..usually same time as I plant the module grown. Starting the planting in different times I usually get some shallots bit earlier to eat..ready for first barbeque weather ;)
Ordinary onion set I plant straight into ground. This year I planted my winter onion sets into modules as the ground froze over before I managed to get them in.

[kippers garden]

Yes I do....I start some shallots in cold greenhouse in modules. I also plant some straight into ground too..usually same time as I plant the module grown. Starting the planting in different times I usually get some shallots bit earlier to eat..ready for first barbeque weather ;)
Ordinary onion set I plant straight into ground. This year I planted my winter onion sets into modules as the ground froze over before I managed to get them in.

When do you start your shallots off in the modules?

[cornykev]

Mine go straight in the ground, but I might start some shallots off in mods this year just as an experiment.   ;D ;D ;D

[allaboutliverpool]

I started my onions and shallots in pots yesterday. Shallots in 9mm pots and onions in 7mm pots.

I have found that they are less likely to suffer from disease, presumably because the bulb itself does not touch the soil. Also there will be no gaps in the bed.

It is worth planting some close together as I have shown on my site and advocated over the years.
Plant the sets nearly touching and use alternate ones as early spring onions and then thinning for further use through the season.
The more vigorous bulbs that get left grow to about the size of a tangerine.
As an experiment, this year I have planted a few, 5 to a 9mm pot.

I also have sown seeds. Last year I grew shallots from seed extremely successfully and will repeat it this year.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_onions.html

[goodlife]

I normally start my shallots some time begining of February..and plant them out some time in March.
I find that from those started in modules do tend to crop more and larger onions than planted straight in ground.
I also like to use shallots while they are still growing, I just carefully 'tease' few bulbs out of the clump and let rest of them carry on growing...normally the thinned out ones result quite good size onion by end of the season ;)

[kippers garden]

I started my onions and shallots in pots yesterday. Shallots in 9mm pots and onions in 7mm pots.

I have found that they are less likely to suffer from disease, presumably because the bulb itself does not touch the soil. Also there will be no gaps in the bed.

It is worth planting some close together as I have shown on my site and advocated over the years.
Plant the sets nearly touching and use alternate ones as early spring onions and then thinning for further use through the season.
The more vigorous bulbs that get left grow to about the size of a tangerine.
As an experiment, this year I have planted a few, 5 to a 9mm pot.I also have sown seeds. Last year I grew shallots from seed extremely successfully and will repeat it this year.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_onions.html

Do you put the pots in a cold greenhouse?

[allaboutliverpool]

I have put them in my new polytunnel. They have always been outside before.

It is really just an experiment

[bluecar]

Hello All About Liverpool.

I've always planted my sets directly into the ground, but last year my shallots were particularly disappointing in size and my onions were less than the sizes of previous years despite my cultivation pattern being kept the same in terms of bed preparation and feed. I thought I would try modules this year, but was surprised by the small size you were quoting. In old currency 7mm equates to about 1/4 inch square and 9mm just a little bit bigger. Have I got this right as it seems a very economical way of starting onion and shallot sets off?

Regards

Bluecar

[pigeonseed]

I've never thought of starting sets and bulbs off in modules. I always wait a bit and get them straight in the ground. I think I'll carry on with that, I'm trying to limit what I have to start off indoors.

Although I bought some seed compost after work today and a tray of modules - planning to start some onion seed off in a couple of weeks. This post reminded me! :)

[allaboutliverpool]

Sorry.

I meant 7 cm.

[chriscross1966]

Sorry.

I meant 7 cm.

So that's the 15/try modules and the 9cm are 12/tray? .... I normally stat my onions and shallots off in the 24/tray or 40/tray modules for the individual "big" ones. THey stay in the house till they show, then into a coldframe or the PT until they go out in late March/early April. For Springs try Ishikura about 8 or 10 in a 24/tray for picklers maybe 4 per in a 40, I've also grown shallots from seed quite successfully though the seed is expensive so I try to get it in the Wyevales sale....