Onions in sucession...

[Garden Manager]

This is more of a tip than an ask for help, though any veiws on it would be appreciated.

Back in early spring I started off my onions sets in pots to get them going under cover before planting out.  Once established in the pots I hardened them off and planted them out. In the hope of getting a sucession going, at the same time i planted some unsprouted sets, thinking that the pot grown ones would be ready ahead of the others to avoid a glut.

I have just gone to lift them and found that they are all ready at the same time, meaning that the 'later' onions have caught up the so called 'early' ones! (I should add here that they are all the same large white variety, bought as sets at the same time).

I am now thinking it is not worth bothering to plant sucessionaly, and go back to planting all that are required at the same time.

Any veiws or opinions on this. What has been your experience with onions?

[Garden Manager]

[tim]

Can't fool an onion!!

When white rot allowed, we put in enough Japanese onions to bridge the June-July gap between stored & fresh.

[terrace max]

I wish I could grow enough storing/ main crop onions to last until June!

I try and spin my stored onions out by growing leeks and spring onions and Welsh onions to harvest during winter...

I did wonder if you planted overwintering onions now you might get reasonable sized onions in late April?

[Diana]

GC - have all the onions ended up the same size or are those started earlier any larger?

Also, did you have any problems with those you started early bolting?

[blight]

i usually plant some overwintering sets in september/ october. lift these from may onwards.
main crop sets and shallots i plant in april and lift in july. these i store in the garden shed. they keep till march/april.

[Mrs Ava]

Japanese onions planted November time, harvest from April.
Maincrop onions planted March time, harvest August time.
Leeks planted spring and summer, as space becomes available, to harvest as and when needed.
Spring onions sown year round to use, year round.  Don't forget, you can let spring onions get pretty big - great for putting in a stir fry of roasting whole.

[Garden Manager]

GC - have all the onions ended up the same size or are those started earlier any larger?

Also, did you have any problems with those you started early bolting?

No all are roughly the same size  Diana. Maybe a couple of the earlier ones tried to flower but all have gone over and are ready to lift at the same time.

Been thinking, are 'ordinary' onions (not special overwintering or spring ones) OK to plant out in late summer/early autumn for cropping early next year? or do you have to have special types?

Its just i have some spare ground with no plans for and some leftover sets from the spring. I live in a mild area, so would it be worth planting about now (or soon) to overwinter for next year? If so do they need any protection?

Thanks

[Mrs Ava]

As far as I understand it, 'normal' or maincrop onions aren't winter hardy, that is why you plant the japanese hardy onions.  However, I am happy to be told otherwise.

[fbgrifter]

i think onions develop in response to day length, and therefore the same type of onion would not be able to be harvested in succession