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!)
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.
I grew some from seed last year, and am going to do some more this time... :)
we do long red florence from seed every year, some over winter and some in spring, lovely onion :)
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.
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
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).
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,
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?
Quote from: TISH on January 17, 2010, 10:26:18
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. ;)
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 (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!
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
Can't you manage a cheapo windowsill one? That would do the job with a 40/48 cell insert.
Quote from: RobinOfTheHood on January 18, 2010, 11:13:31
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?
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.
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?
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
Just searched through the catalogues including Marshalls only spanish one I found is Manas F1. Thanks for reply.
we use our long red florence raw in salads :)
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?
Quote from: RobinOfTheHood on January 18, 2010, 20:18:23
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?
Kelsae's like food (BFB is pretty good) especially between April and June, I'd put some in when I plant out and topdress twice) and they're a bit thirstier than other onions so I always try to stick some extra compost in under them too. They can bulk up very big in a hurry in July if they've got the green-growth on properly by the end of June.
They're no stronger than a "normal" onion but they get milder after they've been in storage for a month or so.
chrisc
This is a clip from a pamphlet by K Foster word record holder. I try to remember that is only one persons preference on growing onions which may not suit you, but if you combine a number of people advice you may get a method to suit what you have available
Growing Onions
Sow late Dec/early Jan for dressed onions and about the 12th Dec for the big ones in good seed compost Levingtons F2 is the one I use. Fill a seed tray and water and water the compost before sowing. Do not firm the compost this is an old practice that does more harm than good, just scrape off the compost level that's all you need to do. Sow your seeds spaced out in your seed tray and cover with just enough to cover the seeds. Place in a propagator at 70F bottom heat and 65F top heat these temperatures are essential for correct germination, please note that seeds can be treated with Benlate before sowing to prevent neck rot. Only use a very tiny amount as it can prevent good germination.
Cover with polythene and some thing to exclude the light and place in your chamber/propagator (70f bottom heat) and your seeds should come up strong about 6 to 10 days later, remove the covering and check for moisture, water only if required. Prick out at the stage when they start to straighten up from the crook stage. Use 3 inch pots filled with good quality compost, Levingtons M2 is what I use. When finished pricking out water with warm water ( about blood heat) in fact at all stages water with warm water . Stand the pots on a heated bench, top and bottom heat of 65F they should be grown at this temperature throughout, growing in cooler temperatures produces short squat plants which produces few leafs and consequently grow flat bulbs.
Keep them in these pots for 4 weeks or until you have three true leafs then pot them on again this time using Levingtons M3 with 20 percent good ground soil, into 6 inch pots, without disturbing the root ball, do not put in any feed.
That does leave out the fact that the guys growing the big ones use growlights and elevated levels of carbon dioxide :D
chrisc