[Gellideg]

Hi.I consider myself a reasonable veg grower.Most crops work well,even in this summer's dry.I have grown sets for 6 or 7 years,and after reading on this site that seed seems to be healthier than set grown onions then the last 2 years I have grown 50/50 seed grown and sets.I haven't had 1 run to seed in the sets,but seed planted out c10 May,along side the sets,with the same treatment and water,then I end up with c15% running to seed.I grow Santero both ways.I would rather grow from seed as the crop is smaller and do store better,and I enjoy the satisfaction of starting from seed.Can anyone pinpoint some suggestions.

John.

[DHM]

Santero is one of the varieties I'm going to grow next year, both for it's storing qualities and resistance to bolting. However, I grow alliums from sets every time as the heat treatment really seems to help with preventing bolting, especially in the warmer climate we enjoy here in the SE. 15% aint bad but if you want less, trial some more bolt resistant types?

[mumofstig]

This year's weather was unusual, tbh I'd do a comparison in a normal year before I made any conclusions about the differences between sets and seeds.
I grew a few Globo, Ailsa Craig and Golden Bear from seed  (none of which bolted) to see which grew best here. I'll do the same thing next year cos I don't think the results were typical 

[jaydig]

I also like Santero from seed as it's a good keeper and tends to resist bolting.  I also grow a few such as Exhibition, which make large onions, and although they don't keep as well, they can be a good substitute for the lovely Spanish onions which we used to be able to buy, but which seem to have disappeared from the shops. Ailsa Craig also does well for me.  I have found that since switching to seed grown rather than sets the problem of bolting very seldom happens, and also there is a much wider choice of onions to grow. I've stopped bothering with red onions as they are often too hot to use raw, tend to be on the small side and once cooked they're very little different to any other onion. I just grow Long Red Florence for fresh use through the summer and autumn.