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I would like to grow some red onion from sets this year, I have had problems with them going to seed in the past, >:(      can anyone tell me how to avoid this.
I have tried compacted beds, rotivated beds, manured beds, unmanured beds, watering, not watering, nothing seems to stop them running to seed.

Alan

I have had the same problem but heard this year that reds are very sensitive to daylight length and should be planted after the equinox.  So that is what I will be trying this year.

day/night length is the problem!  try planting them after mar 22nd, should see a huge reduction in bolting (it works for me)
april last year[attachment=1]
mixed onion bed, red baron and sturon, only had about 6 bolt!

 
You can get Red Onion sets that are now heat treated, this stops them frombolting

Heat treated ior not, a load of my red barron bolted last year.
Will delay planting out and see if that has an effect....

For three years I've planted my Red Baron sets in the first week of April. Bolting has never been a problem but they always have been heat treated sets.

For red onions this year I'm trying some Red Baron from seed, Pink Torpedo again and heat treated Kamal F1 sets from Moles

Delaying planting is a really helpful tip, thanks. Some of mine bolted this year and, on reflection, it was mainly the ones that I put in earliest.

I've just checked my diary.  I planted Red Karmen on 22 Mar last year and didn't have a single one bolt.  They were Wilko's cheapies £1 for around 60 sets, I think.

Planted my first lot on 14 March and second lot on 30 March.  It was the first lot that tended to bolt more.

Didn't plant my sets until 10th April last year and had less bolting than previously, and a good crop- also Red Karmen from Wilko's.

I tend to grow the overwintering reds (i think electric or electra)not sure which is corect but they always perform well

I find the overwintering ones better too. They don't bolt, grow much bigger and keep well. I plant then in late October for an early summer crop and are still using this years.