Onion Sets vs Seeds

[George the Pigman]

After having two disappointing seasons with onion sets (including heat treated ones!!) I grew a few from seed last year and even though they were started late they grew as well as the sets I planted out.
Is this similar to other peoples experience?
Has anyone any interesting new onion seed varieties they have tried that were successful (I am looking for ideas for this year!)

[George the Pigman]

[Geoff H]

I have usually grown from seed. I can easily get bigger onions if i want and i never get any bolters with seed sown onions. I generally grow several of the F1 hybrids - I go for those that have good storage qualities. I will be sowing my onion seed soon. I find that i can fit a lot of onion seedlings in seed trays.
I am growing Hyfort and Red Pearl.
I do tend to buy sets for autumn planting as i have struggled to get them from seed.

[saddad]

I grew some from seed last year, and am going to do some more this time...  :)

[manicscousers]

we do long red florence from seed every year, some over winter and some in spring, lovely onion :)

[jennym]

I grow onions from seed most years now, always good results, and they don't bolt. Do grow sets too though. Shallots from seed were good this year too. For onions have grown Bedfordshire Champion and Ailsa Craig, and also pickling onions, I think Sy300 but not sure. For the shallots afraid don't know name (got them in France). All were sown direct.

[chriscross1966]

Speaking as a confirmed grower of onions from seed, I'd suggest that sets aren't a bad idea for autumn sowing due to the problems of getting seeds to germinate in August, sets will always get going, however.....

Spring sown sets vs winter sown seeds isn't such a clear-cut issue, sets will generally gow ok but the wrong conditions at the wrong time  can see the whole crop bolt. Seeds definitely won't bolt but you have a bit more work to do early on, though module sowing is something you do indoors at a time when there's precious little else to be done.  

The big advantage that seeds have is the range of varieties available, especially in terms of specialist onions, the previously mentioned long red florence is a great onion (I grow it), but I doubt it will ever be available as a set. Similarly the white sweet onions generally known as "Spanish" aren't well represented as sets, neither are the bigger onions (from memory I think that  Marshalls do do one, but that's about it), and even the red onions are a bit thin on the ground.

I'd suggest that it's worth looking at Long Red Florence for a red onion, it's good for the technique of sowing 4-5 seeds per module and planting out as a clump at 8 inch intervals. Sturon is good for long storage, but is hardly new, Kelsae gives a massive bulb and I find that it's a good culinary onion too  



chrisc

[TISH]

I am keen to try growing some from seed but get confused about how and when to sow them. I don't have a greenhouse, although I put up those plastic covered shelves every spring. Do they need their own pots or can they be grown in a tray, finally how big should they be when you plant them out (or does that matter).

[Mr Smith]

I'm having a go with both this year, I have a packet of 'Red Baron' and I also popped in to Wikis yesterday and came out with a a net of 'Stuttgart, Turbo' and a net of Reds,

[elvis2003]

im going to try more seeds this year,even though i didnt have great germination last year. i just dont find it satisfying using sets,i dont feel like ive grown them?

[RobinOfTheHood]

I am keen to try growing some from seed but get confused about how and when to sow them. I don't have a greenhouse, although I put up those plastic covered shelves every spring. Do they need their own pots or can they be grown in a tray, finally how big should they be when you plant them out (or does that matter).

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Onions/Onion-Seed%20sowing/onion-seed%20sowing.html

Getting in there before Tee Gee does.  ;)

[Tee Gee]

Thanks ROH

Was about to upload my reply and was advised that another post had been posted  and lo and behold it was yours with the info I was going to give.

However this link will take 'onion growing' a bit further!

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Onions/Onions.htm

As you can see Tish you only need the high temperatures for germination purposes, after pricking out 'frost free' conditions will do!

[TISH]

thanks tee gee and robin of the hood, both hugely informative links. Unfortunatley I don't have a propagator so by the time I set up my plastic greenhouses in early spring it may be too late, not even sure when they would reach the right temp to germinate. Sounds tricky, perhaps I have to stick to sets until I can afford better kit.

Thanks for the info

[RobinOfTheHood]

Can't you manage a cheapo windowsill one? That would do the job with a 40/48 cell insert.

[TISH]

Can't you manage a cheapo windowsill one? That would do the job with a 40/48 cell insert.

Yes, can get them pretty cheaply (3 for a tenner on ebay incl postage) - but don't really have much indoor growing space which is why I set up those plastic greenhouses in the spring. It's a question of when I can get them to germinate under those conditions and if that is too late to get them out on the plot. What do you reckon?

[RobinOfTheHood]

According to Tee Gee's site:

Germinate at a minimum temperature of 16°C (60°F)

If you can do that on your windowsill, then they could go in one of your greenhouses.

I had some germinate last week and they're now in the cold greenhouse - fingers crossed for them.

[tomatoada]

After reading this thread I am going to try growing from seeds.  I would like to grow sweet/mild ones.  Can you reccommend which ones I should grow?

[chriscross1966]

THe white spanish ones, some of the italian ones are supposed to be pretty mild. Kelsae's lose a lot of their sting after a month but don't store well so it might be a race to use them, and they're not small..... Wasn't their one that was called something like golden apple that had pics in the catalogue (Marshalls?) of someone just eating the onion raw like it was an apple.... memory playing tricks?....

chrisc

[tomatoada]

Just searched through the catalogues including Marshalls only spanish one I found is  Manas F1.  Thanks for reply.

[manicscousers]

we use our long red florence raw in salads  :)

[RobinOfTheHood]

I'm doing Ailsa Craig (last years leftovers), Kelsae (don't really know owt about them) and Bedfordshire Champion (said to be good for storing).

Might do a red too if I can find one in the next week or so.

Chris, what do you mean by lose their sting - are they particularly strong?