Allotments 4 All

Hello, my onion seedlings are coming along nicely in the conservatory. Everyone seems to be preparing to plant onion sets, if they havent already done so. Is it the right time to plant out my onion seedlings too? They are just developing their third leaf and are 4-6 inches high, but very thin still.

Incase it makes a difference, they are Buntons Showstopper, Bedforsdshire Champion and Walla Walla.

Thanks

cj :)

I only do sets CJ but would pot them on into biggerpots/cells for a while yet...
:-\

potted my long red florence up into rootrainers at the weekend  :)

Will keep them cuddled up for a bit longer then ;D

cj :)

I keep them growing on in cells and plant out at the end of March.  If they start to look a bit week, then you can feed them with half-strength tomato feed. :)

QuoteI keep them growing on in cells

Don't let them get root bound! I would pot on before allowing this to happen!

An onion root system is very brittle and if you tease them out from the cells they can be set back.

If this happens i.e. a check in growth you might find they develop thick necks, bolt early and be more susceptible to disease.

I didnt ahve any luck with onion seedlings this time. I sowed direct jap onion seeds in autumn and they have been fabulous... but the aisla craig and bedfordshire champs proved a bit too precocious for me.

My onion seeds haven't come up either, tell a lie I have one, out of a tray full. :'( :'( ;D ;D ;D

My ailsa craig look like sparrows legs ;D so will just keep an eye on them for the mo.

I can understand why people use sets now. Seed is a bit fiddly. I still think I would use seed again though, as the choice of variety is so much better.

cj :)

Sets are a lot better in MY opinion, less choice but a lot more reliable, I've give up on one lot  :'( now I'm trying Ailsa Craig.   ;D ;D ;D

ive got mammoth onions in and mammoth reds also bed champs, so easy growing from seed, also for me its doing it from scratch ;D

 :)


Ailsa Craig growing well the last few days / shades x