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When is the best time to sow these? i keep readind stuff about them being overwintering

I have grown these for years.

they will grow from a fall/autumn planting(late August) and a Spring one. The fall one is best, the onions are sweeter  and bigger when over wintered.

So mild that they can be munched raw.

300 days fall sown,125 days Spring sown roughly.

A really great onion although not a good keeper

It is quite a local onion to me and is OK overwintered at temps which have a normal low of -10f/-23c


Mine are going in anyday now.
XX Jeannine

where has anyone found seeds or sets for these. I love sweet onions

Here we are..they are the cheapest..and recommended.. ;)
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Premier-Seeds-Direct/Onions-/_i.html?_fsub=1328159018&_sid=79364908&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

thank you goodlife for that. sweet onion addiction about to be fed

Good for you, you won't be looking back, you will munch them like an apple if overwintered.

XX Jeannine

ok question time now. If I get them as seeds, do I propgate them first and plant the as seedlings in a month or so , or do I put the seeds in direct

Never ever done an onion from seed let a,lone for overwintering :)

This is what I do..

Sow 3 seeds to a 72 cell sowing tray.When up usually with 10 days, transplant  each clump spacing 6 inches apart,in fertile,well drained soil.Or sow 5 seeds and remove two, you want to end up with three seedlings per cell.

Or direct seed  in a row then thin to 4 inches apart in February.

You can also start in bigger pots then transplant each seedling seperatley but I find the first one works just fine and they grow quite well like that.

XX Jeannine

Quote from: Jeannine on August 22, 2011, 22:54:49

Sow 3 seeds to a 72 cell sowing tray.When up usually with 10 days, transplant  each clump spacing 6 inches apart,in fertile,well drained soil.Or sow 5 seeds and remove two, you want to end up with three seedlings per cell.


You can also start in bigger pots then transplant each seedling seperatley but I find the first one works just fine and they grow quite well like that.

XX Jeannine

Jeannine, can I just check...as I was planning to sow some Florence Onions tomorrow....3 per module and plant out the clump of three as a whole?

If singly, are the smaller root-trainers good for this?

By modules is it those ones with little pointy cells?

If so, would this work with leeks as well?

The ones I use are quite small almost cone shaped minus the tip.Then yes I plant the little module in the hole with the three little plants in which is why I give them 6 inches rather than 4, They grow just fine like this and it saves all the hassle of transplanting tiny plants. Some folks do more than three but I find this is best for me. I have never done it with leeks so can't answer that one.I think the root trainers would work just fine but I would think they are too expensive  to do alot of onions. I will try to find you a picture of the ones I use. XX Jeannine

Pictured is a 60 from the Uk and a US 72 both are OK

Interesting to read they can be autumn sown I just assumed they were spring sown, which is what I've been doing until now..... thanks
Those cell growing trays look pretty similar to ones I have used for onions, spring onions and leeks. They seem an ideal size and it is really easy to pop the plug out and then plant them in a bed.

I understand now. That's super. Thanks for taking the time to do this :)

Thanks for this Jeannine. Im going to order my seeds now and hopefully enjoy a onionfest next year :)

Yes, thanks Jeannine, I will get some in over the weekend. Really glad asked now, will give some florence a go to.  ;D

Oh good, I have been trying to spread the word about Walla Walla for years, it is a very different onion to most and I love it..
it grows really well in the Pacific North West (PNW) as originally from Walla Walla in Washington just over the border from me. Of course they say there that it only grows the very right way in Walla Walla itself but they do just fine for me and everyone else who grows them here.

Let us know how you get on

XX Jeannine

Oh wy oh wy am I so easily misled?  Reading posts about walla walla - now can't decide whether to cancel myordeer for my overwintering sets.

Ooh I am tempted ... Was about to do red florence, I have loads of seed, but these sound gorgeous. I like a sweet onion.

Please, how short is short-keeping?  Maybe I will do a short row to over-winter?

Thanks  :)

Morris, have pm'd you :)

my wolla wolla seeds arrived today so looking forward to them :)

Gosh..your order arrived quickly..where did you end up ordering them from?