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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Tee Gee on January 27, 2010, 13:47:11

Title: Onion progress
Post by: Tee Gee on January 27, 2010, 13:47:11
Sowed seed 12th January! Red Brunswick & The Kelsae



As they were Monday 25th;


(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Jan%202010/Onion.jpg)

As they are today 27th January;

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Jan%202010/P1120144.jpg)

105 pots later;

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Jan%202010/P1120143.jpg)

Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: katynewbie on January 27, 2010, 14:00:01
Thanks for these great pics Tee, I am doing onions for seed for the first time this year (although hedging my bets and doing some sets as well) so it's good to see that my seedlings are on track!
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: Ninnyscrops. on January 27, 2010, 14:04:51
They're looking good TeeGee.  I lost all those I sowed earlier, darling OH drew the curtains and turned down the radiator in the spare bedroom when we had all that snow  :'(

I've resown, but only put 3 seeds in each of the pots as it seemed a waste of time to empty them all, and they're up.  Strict instructions to hubby not to go in there  ;D

Ninny
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: chriscross1966 on January 27, 2010, 14:05:46
Wish mine looked as good.... sowed 220 assorted modules a week ago, as of this morning, the Kelsaes and Sturon have just started to show, the Long Red Florence has made a good start (about 50% up so far) and I'm still waiting for the Russian Size, Spanish Giant, Spanish Sweet, Aisla Craig, Tropea and a Finnish variant of Tree Onion to show.... had some problem with a compost fungus that appeared almost overnight as soon as they went in but it doesn't seem to have affected what's come up already and pretty much disappeared after a second watering of Cheshunt compound..

chrisc
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: Tee Gee on January 27, 2010, 15:41:34
Quotehad some problem with a compost fungus

I found this quite a common problem in the past no matter what type of compost I purchased.

Now I just use seived multipurpose compost mixed with about 25% silver sand ( 3parts compost, 1 part sand)

I find this makes it free draining and less prone to fungal attack.

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing/Seed%20Sowing.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing/Seed%20Sowing.htm)

Click on pics to enlarge!
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: cornykev on January 27, 2010, 17:34:31
Looking good TG.    ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: chriscross1966 on January 27, 2010, 18:00:59
Quote from: Tee Gee on January 27, 2010, 15:41:34
Quotehad some problem with a compost fungus

I found this quite a common problem in the past no matter what type of compost I purchased.

Now I just use seived multipurpose compost mixed with about 25% silver sand ( 3parts compost, 1 part sand)

I find this makes it free draining and less prone to fungal attack.

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing/Seed%20Sowing.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing/Seed%20Sowing.htm)

Click on pics to enlarge!

About the same as mine butrI used a mix of John Innes Seed , sand and MP with a pinch of BFB in about 2 trays worth... the initial watering was with standard strength Cheshunt.... Oh well, it isn't damping off or any other plant attacking thing I know of, so fingers crosssed...

chrisc
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: robinaber on January 27, 2010, 18:29:18
As a beginner wonder if you could help please, TeeGee? I've just planted mine in trays which are on the windowsill. When is the best time to transfer into a cold greenhouse and is it OK to transfer them to the single pots at the same time?
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: w00dy on January 27, 2010, 19:25:00
Some of mine are about 100mm now if you measure from soil to tip im growing them for our local show and im using and LED light board for 16 hours a day.  I cant wait to see how they turn out.

w00dy
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: chriscross1966 on February 02, 2010, 08:45:00
Thankfully now most of my onions seem to be making a showing of it...;. it was so cold in th egreenhouse that even with the heated propagators they weren't coming through as fast as usual.... With the slightly warmer temsp of the last week or so I've now got plenty of Kelsae's showing, the Russian Size has started to come through and the only notable absences where none are up yet are the walking/tree onions and the two Spanish ones (Giant ansd sweet)
.... Still don't understand why the Long Red Florence was so far ahead of the others though, it's not like it's propagator is more powerful, indeed I'd ahve had it firml;y in second place tio the big one...


chrisc
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: Tee Gee on February 02, 2010, 12:09:16
Hi Robinaber !

Sorry I missed your query hopefully it is not too late for me to reply now!

QuoteWhen is the best time to transfer into a cold greenhouse

When you are sure that the temperature will go no lower than 40°F (4°C)

Ideally they want reasonable temperatures but most of all lots of light!

I let my lot stay on the hotbed for around a week before moving them to one of the upper shelves in my greenhouse to get maximum light.

My heater thermostat is set for 40°F (4°C) so they should start moving now.


Quoteand is it OK to transfer them to the single pots at the same time?

Yes!! As you can see in the pictures I do.

Once again sorry for missing your query!

Tg
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: tomatoada on February 02, 2010, 13:10:42
Please keep up this info. teegee.   I am,  like katy growing onions from seed for the first time this year and also some sets later.   My onions are in the spare room which has a temperature of about 12 degrees at night and 14-16 in the daytime.  They are about  an inch high.  I have put 3 seeds in each module and all appeared to have germinated. 
The Bedford champion seeds which were at least 5 years old germinated first.  The Spainish sweet ones bought last month took 3-4 days longer.
So into the mini greenhouse when warm enough!
When do I thin out to one per module and do I need to pot on before planting out as they are in seed compost?  Many thanks.

Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: robinaber on February 02, 2010, 13:20:19
Thank you TeeGee - it's OK it's not too late.  Will follow your instructions.
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: Tee Gee on February 02, 2010, 13:36:57
QuoteWhen do I thin out to one per module

I assume you mean 'pot' when you say module if so you do it when the plants get to what is known as 'the crook' stage.

The name comes from the bent stem resembling a shepherds crook.( see picture above)


Quoteand do I need to pot on before planting out as they are in seed compost?

Most definitely 'seed compost' has little or no fertiliser in it.

They want potting on into a 'potting' compost, not 'multi purpose', this too does not have (normally) enough fertiliser in it to sustain the plants until planting out time!
Title: Re: Onion progress
Post by: tomatoada on February 10, 2010, 08:16:16
Thanks for your advice on my onions teegee.  I did as you advised.  They are now 6" high.

I love your almanac.  I have printed out the weeks with the numbers which helps when I am looking at the specific information on each veg..

Hope you will post more pictures.  Thanks again.