HELLO, can anyone reccomend whats the best red onion variety from sets, to grow for flavour, reliability ect, before i go spashing out my cash,
thanks, Ant
Red Baron is the default red onion from set but I never have much luck with them. Reds always seem to bolt - last year I went for Long Red Florence from seed and there were good. Still got some rot though but will do the same this year.
http://www.organiccatalogue.com/p2400/ONION-Long-Red-Florence/product_info.html?osCsid=e6004225fa8d6b6b94839fd417891492
I've had more success with Electric than Red Baron but I agree about Long Red Florence. The thinnings make great spring onions too and the onions are mild and more like shallots both in taste and shape. Plus I grow them from seed so they're cheaper than the sets.
Another vote for long red florence from seed here, most of our red sets bolt :)
I think I got Red Baron last year. I have found that they bolt less if you plant them later. I always plant their sets after the other onions, more like end of March.
I grew Garnet from sets last year - didn't plant them til early April but they gave a good crop with little rot or bolting.
They don't seem to be available this year (I read that the commercial growers have nabbed them) but if I'm feeling flush might try Hyred, again from T&M.
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/all-other-vegetables/onion-shallot-and-garlic-sets/onion-hyred-f1-hybrid/aww4012TM
You can grow Red Baron from seed and a few other varieties like Karmen, Dobies sell them and there is free postage on their seeds until mid Feb.
I noticed red onions sets on sale in Poundland.
I will be going for the cheap a nasty red onions from Wilko's again this year, I had an excellent crop last year, :)
I had good results from Red Brunswick grown from seed last year
i had excellent result with Kamel from moles seeds
Quote from: Mr Smith on January 09, 2012, 21:14:37
I will be going for the cheap a nasty red onions from Wilko's again this year, I had an excellent crop last year, :)
I'm with you.. :) To h**** with the posh named varieties. Red onions - I'll buy them when I see them going for a good price - they'll be the last to go in (when I've time) and they will take their chances - so will I.
Had a reasonable crop last year but reds seem much more fussy about weather conditions than t'others.
As said the reds do tend to bolt, so I just have a handful of loose thrown in with the yellows, but deffo plant later as it does reduce the bolting to some degree. :D
i grew the red onion sets from pound land last only a couple bolted none being sold as yet this year also grew their white onion sets Stuttgart had good results with both lots already got the whites for this year and a pk each of pentland javelin and swift 8 tubers just enough to do a row of each had brilliant results must remember to dig earlyer as i had bakers instead of little salad pots
I grew Hyred last year and won a bottle of champagne at our flower and produce show as they were huge and caught the eye of the local waitrose manager when he was choosing his 'best in show' 8)
Quote from: Mr Smith on January 09, 2012, 21:14:37
I will be going for the cheap a nasty red onions from Wilko's again this year, I had an excellent crop last year, :)
I had mine from wilko's too and they were fantastic and still have a shed load of tennis ball size onions to last a while yet from last years crop.
Hi and ok thanks to all for replying,im gonna take a chance with either wilko or poundland and
put them in late,
thanks, ant
Quote from: Kea on January 10, 2012, 18:37:20
I grew Hyred last year and won a bottle of champagne at our flower and produce show as they were huge and caught the eye of the local waitrose manager when he was choosing his 'best in show' 8)
Oh dear, I wish I hadn't read that ::)
Quote from: Ellen K on January 11, 2012, 15:33:57
Quote from: Kea on January 10, 2012, 18:37:20
I grew Hyred last year and won a bottle of champagne at our flower and produce show as they were huge and caught the eye of the local waitrose manager when he was choosing his 'best in show' 8)
Oh dear, I wish I hadn't read that ::)
Why????
i bought mine for £1 a bag from morrisons and this is last years crop. A very well spent £1.
(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa336/donnythistle/0024.jpg)
Quote from: Kea on January 12, 2012, 15:23:31
Quote from: Ellen K on January 11, 2012, 15:33:57
Quote from: Kea on January 10, 2012, 18:37:20
I grew Hyred last year and won a bottle of champagne at our flower and produce show as they were huge and caught the eye of the local waitrose manager when he was choosing his 'best in show' 8)
Oh dear, I wish I hadn't read that ::)
Why????
Kea, now I have a reason (justification) to buy them.
Great crop there Donny :)
Quote from: Ellen K on January 14, 2012, 14:44:46
Quote from: Kea on January 12, 2012, 15:23:31
Quote from: Ellen K on January 11, 2012, 15:33:57
Quote from: Kea on January 10, 2012, 18:37:20
I grew Hyred last year and won a bottle of champagne at our flower and produce show as they were huge and caught the eye of the local waitrose manager when he was choosing his 'best in show' 8)
Oh dear, I wish I hadn't read that ::)
Why????
Kea, now I have a reason (justification) to buy them.
Great crop there Donny :)
aahhhh! ;D
Somebody else raving about Hyred in the reviews on Marshall's Seeds site.
Bum Bum Bum !!!!
(will definitely be buying now).
I've bought them again...I used to grow electric.
I bought hyred from Marshall's too last year. No bolters beautiful onions....but.....I don't think heat treated onions store as long as non heat treated.
Duke
Quote from: Tee Gee on January 09, 2012, 21:16:27
I had good results from Red Brunswick grown from seed last year
Work well for me from seed too, otherwise Red Barron from sets.
Quote from: Duke Ellington on January 15, 2012, 19:25:49
I bought hyred from Marshall's too last year. No bolters beautiful onions....but.....I don't think heat treated onions store as long as non heat treated.
Duke
Still using mine I have lost some but not really any worse than electric and my storage conditions aren't that great.