Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: gunnerbee on February 24, 2006, 10:21:23
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Brought some sets the other day, could i start them off in trays then move them on at a later date? do i keep them in a greenhouse? Thanks.
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Yes you could, I understand your eagerness but there is no rush. Planting them out anytime from mid March to the beginning of April will be fine.
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Thanks Gunnerbee, I was going to ask the same question!!
I have 700 onion sets I want to get in!!
I haven't put my shallots in yet cos it's been so cold, when do they have to be in by?
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Not so much of being eager, just had a knee operation and wondered if i could start them in trays because i cant get out in the garden at the moment!!
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You can plant them when the weather warms up a bit, no need to worry. Mine are going to sit in the shed till it's a bit less arctic.
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And Mothy - with that number, unless you want exhibition bulbs, plant them close together. Much more useful in the kitchen.
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One of our 'experts' swears that transplanted sets grow bigger than ones planted straight into the ground.
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Tim,
Many thanks, exhibition sized onions are certainly not the intention. What spacing do you recommend? I hope to be able to store them in either nets or string them up, does size affect the storage properties of onions?
I lost some larger ones from last years crop that went rotten, most of the smaller ones have been great.
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Liking them small, I put them in about 3" apart.
Don't know, but I can believe that the smaller ones keep better.
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Hiya,
Has anyone grown onions from seed before... I have some 'Bedfordshire Champion' seeds but am wondering whether to sow directly into the ground or start in biodegradeable modules and plop these into the ground at a later date. Also if I start them from seed now will they mature and swell before the frosts come?
All ideas are welcome!
Jon
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I like to put my shallots on compost on a seed tray so they start rooting prior to planting out as I find the birds have more trouble tugging them out of the soil.
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I have red barron sown 2 weeks ago. I sowed in a seed tray and then into modules when they are 2 inches tall.
seem to be alright.
have to be in the warm to germinate though.
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Hiya,
Has anyone grown onions from seed before... I have some 'Bedfordshire Champion' seeds but am wondering whether to sow directly into the ground or start in biodegradeable modules and plop these into the ground at a later date. Also if I start them from seed now will they mature and swell before the frosts come?
All ideas are welcome!
Jon
It is normal to sow onion seed early in the year, I started min of in January and they germinated at about 21 days. This is in a warm greenhouse in trays. They will get potted on soon and then into a coldframe prior to planting out.
If you sow them now they will be fine but just a little smaller than normal but some say the smaller onions store better than the large.
HTH
Jerry
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Hiya,
Has anyone grown onions from seed before... I have some 'Bedfordshire Champion' seeds but am wondering whether to sow directly into the ground or start in biodegradeable modules and plop these into the ground at a later date. Also if I start them from seed now will they mature and swell before the frosts come?
All ideas are welcome!
Jon
Sowed my bedfordshire champ on the 13-02-2006 and will pot them on into a ' box ' in about two weeks and then plant out in April after hardening off.
Champs as of now, also the potting on crate and the onion dibber for when I plant out.
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Thanks for the pictures MikeB, they help a lot - especially the patent Onion Dibber, did you make it yourself? Love these patent devices lots, would love instructions if you have them ;D
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What a good idea! Do you have multiple plates with different size dowels for different plantings?
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Hi SS,
It's a 12" x 12" piece of plywood, divided in a 4 by 4 grid i.e. 3" in all directions. A handful of doweling plugs, drill 16 holes, hammer in dowels. I use it for transplanting onions and for planting carrot seed. For the carrot seed it's three seeds per hole, a bit tiresome, but saves thinning out and the risk of carrot fly later in the season. If more than 1 seed germinates I snip off the weakest seed(s) with a pair of nail scissors. I also have other ' dibbers ' on a 4" and 6" spacing.
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Thank you for the instructions mike :D, will deliver them pronto to my son's friend who runs a school woodworking class. My those little fingers will be busy. This gadget will be the envy of the allotments, better get a new lock for the shed. Oh, better get a shed first :-[ ;D
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;) Great idea :D
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What a terrific dibber Mike.....I'm gonna have to make one!! ;D
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Hmmm... I've got mine outside in a propagator as my greenhouse isn't up yet - I've got a few starting to germinate but nothing as good as yours MikeB. Maybe it's time for plan B - dump 'em off at the folks' and let them germinate in their conservatory.
Thanks for the pictures, I know what I'm aiming for now!
Jon
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just about to take on an allotment , I see there are onion plants there already, must be from last year as it is somewhat overgrown. Should I dig them all out or leave them and be ever hopefull ?
Any advice greatfully received.................. ???
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hi emaggie and welcome to the forum :)
Do you need the space urgently for something else? If not, leave them in and ... See What Happens :o ;D ;D ;D
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Thanks for the welcome, Supersprout, and I shall do just that.
So glad I found this site----it's brilliant.
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If Your short of room wait til late April early May and set a row of onion seeds fairly thickly ..Leave them to their own devices and you will get a lot of table size onions .. Some up to half a pound,, These were Ailsa craigs...cheers Jim.
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Impressive Jim, I may try that method myself just to use up old seed ...
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Thanks for the brilliant pics growmore, will give it a go this year and have marked it in my planting calendar. They look superb.
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Did'nt you bother thinning out Jim. Alisa craig thats the seeds i'm trying for the 1 st time.
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Been and had a look and a squeeze !!!!! Too soggy to leave I fear, but will have a bash at the Ailsa Craigs. :)
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Hi Northener, No I just set the seeds about an inch or so apart and leave them ...
Will be doing same this year with golden bear onions ..Cheers Jim...
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Hope you're going to post pics of any big ones you get this year Jim (7 pounders maybe) ?
;D
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growmore>> when did you sow those?
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Growmore - they look fab.
Alison
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Hi FB I think it would be about the 2nd week in May certainly no earlier..The pic
was took around the 12th of Sept..
Jenny,The elusive half a stone onion ??? with the British record at over 16 lbs You Wouldn't think 7lbs would be a lot to ask for would You??.. :)
Have stripped this one and it is now growing in a pot for next years seeds We live in hope ...Cheers ..Jim