Red Onion

[clumsy]

I've been looking at piroska and red karmen onions to grow from sets. I know that red onions bolt quickly but is there a variety apart from heated treated ones that do well. Plus the price of sets from the seed merchants seems to be high.

[clumsy]

[bombus]

Why not give long red Florence a try from seed? It's cheaper than sets and there is still time. They are a very good keeper too.

bombus

[galina]

Why not give long red Florence a try from seed? It's cheaper than sets and there is still time. They are a very good keeper too.

bombus

Bombus, I also love Long Red Florence, but for me they do not keep well at all.  What is your keeping secret?   

[Flighty]

Clumsy why don't you want heat treated ones? I grow Red Baron from heat treated sets, they don't bolt and store well.

[clumsy]

Flighty the heat treated ones seem to be very expensive. I want to buy 3kgs worth but looking at the price's online plus delivery seems to be very high. Plus we have allium leaf miner on my parents plot, I wanted to give the onions a miss but they disagree so it will be 3kg white and 3kg red. White onion sets are cheap enough to buy, it's just the red ones.

[Paulh]

There must be about 700 onions in 3kg of sets: what are you going to do with 1400 onions?

[bluecar]

Hello all.

Just bought 300g of red baron today for a pound from guess where - poundland. The packet contained 80 onion sets Wilko had 500g for £1.50, but 80 reds meets my needs.

Regards.

Bluecar

[BarriedaleNick]

Why not give long red Florence a try from seed? It's cheaper than sets and there is still time. They are a very good keeper too.

bombus

Bombus, I also love Long Red Florence, but for me they do not keep well at all.  What is your keeping secret?   

Same here - Grew some lovely ones last year and stored in the garage - they all sprouted and/or went off.  I do like them but not going to bother again this year unless I can find a better way to store them.

[goodlife]

I find my onions keep well if they are kept in good light and not too damp neither. Actually my kitchen seem to be just right. If left in shed or GH they want to push their roots out and grow.

[ancellsfarmer]

Morrisons have just "released" onion sets in nets of 40 for £1 variety Sturon and very sound, bright, plump examples they seem to be. Reds also, did not see variety, at the same price & quality

[johhnyco15]

over winter red onions and some garlic too

[ancellsfarmer]

Morrisons have just "released" onion sets in nets of 40 for £1 variety Sturon and very sound, bright, plump examples they seem to be. Reds also, did not see variety, at the same price & quality

Revisited today, the reds are Red baron. Shame they dont do shallots, local garden centre asking £2.99 for 10 indifferent looking specimens. also noticed they have "banana" shallots. I thought perceived wisdom was that these will only suceed if grown fron seed. Reading the culture instructions, nowhere does iy indicate that you will get a crop, merely instructions to harvest the plant. Do you know if all you get is a one- year- older bulb

[galina]

also noticed they have "banana" shallots. I thought perceived wisdom was that these will only suceed if grown fron seed. Reading the culture instructions, nowhere does iy indicate that you will get a crop, merely instructions to harvest the plant. Do you know if all you get is a one- year- older bulb

They do split, just like onions, but I didn't get very many.  Two or three per banana shallot.  I gave up on them from sets. 

[johhnyco15]

i got a bag of banana shallots from wilco one year put then in waited and waited and guess what not one came up ain't bothered since

[galina]

i got a bag of banana shallots from wilco one year put then in waited and waited and guess what not one came up ain't bothered since

Did you get seeds or actual shallots?  The problem with buying banana shallots from the veg shelf is that they are often treated not to sprout.  They the brown husks taking off then a good wash, before they stand any chance of sprouting.  The chemical treatment needs to be washed off, then they will sprout. 

[johhnyco15]

the shallots in question we banana sets so should have grown on with no prob but however this was not the case not one of the sets came good unlike normal redsun which came good as always but thanks for the advice

[johhnyco15]

my red onions are romping along same pic as before a month on

[johhnyco15]

onions 1 month on