[Beetroot Queen]

Oh no, I threw mine because I figured they shouldnt look like that. Never done them from seed and thought they should be bigger and stood up more opppssss 

[Annen]

I don't know whether they should be like that either! I just needed the space!

[Beetroot Queen]

I don't know whether they should be like that either! I just needed the space!

Mine were the same, I was too embarrassed to ask incase everyone laughed at me. Havent got my old gal badge yet 

[snowdrops]

I don't know whether they should be like that either! I just needed the space!

Mine were the same, I was too embarrassed to ask incase everyone laughed at me. Havent got my old gal badge yet 

Silly girl, we wouldn't have laughed. I've not grown shallots from seed but have done onions. Scrap that I grew banana shallots once, I think I planted them out when the roots were filling the module I'd sown them into.

[New shoot]

Mine are out. Half were planted into a raised bed at home last week and the other half went out on the plot yesterday.

They must be getting well watered in today    It's pouring down here 

[ryetek]

Yesterday I planted out 80 Santero onions that have been grown from seed. In my opinion they have not done nearly as well as last year. I've got 80 plants from 160 seeds sown. Last year I got 50 (Bedfordshire Champion) from 80 sown.

Will have to see how they go!

They must be getting well watered in today    It's pouring down here 

Snap. Same here 

[AnneB]

Mine are out now.   Germination not very good this year, not sure why, did them under heat as usual in January. 

The Yellow Rynsburger did OK as did the Roscoff pink ones.   Long Red Florence and Zebrune shallot managed to produce a whole 1 onion each from around 30 of each sown.   The LRF were brand new seed and the Zebrune only a year old.  Bit cross about that and have had to supplement with some Longor sets.

I will sow some Blood Red Holland Redmate spring onions and let a few run on larger (they do that quite well) to make up for the LRF failure.

[Snoop]

The Yellow Rynsburger did OK as did the Roscoff pink ones.   Long Red Florence and Zebrune shallot managed to produce a whole 1 onion each from around 30 of each sown.   The LRF were brand new seed and the Zebrune only a year old.  Bit cross about that and have had to supplement with some Longor sets.

As I understand it, seeds generally produce a single shallot. If you want clumps, you need to plant sets.

I have had some round-type shallots grown from seed split. However, each one is so small that a single larger one is more useful in the kitchen.

[cadalot]

OK I may have done a stupid thing but I transplanted by blades of grass into vending machine cups and some of them appear to bucked up, my plan is to let them beef up a little before letting them become slug food on the allotment, they just look so pathetic and small.

[Bohobumble]

Anne, shallots from seed are meant to produce one bulb in the first year, it's the second year they divide.


Think about the sets you planted, they are a year old already and you are growing them in the 2nd year!


Don't throw them, plant them next year and you'll be drowning in shallots.


edit: Also, Long Red Florence are not a shallot, they are an heritage onion from Italy, that can be used as both a spring onion or allowed to grow on to an elongated bulb.
I only know as I am growing them myself for the first time this year from seed so have been having a read about the web!


edit 2: I just re-read your post, apologies... I now understand you had germination failures not failed to get more than one bulb per seed!

[Salmo]

Anne, shallots from seed are meant to produce one bulb in the first year, it's the second year they divide.


Think about the sets you planted, they are a year old already and you are growing them in the 2nd year!


Don't throw them, plant them next year and you'll be drowning in shallots.

Do shallots from seed split in  the second year or do they go to seed? If they do not go to seed how are new seed produced.

Several people have talked about this but has anyone done it?

[AnneB]

The Yellow Rynsburger did OK as did the Roscoff pink ones.   Long Red Florence and Zebrune shallot managed to produce a whole 1 onion each from around 30 of each sown.   The LRF were brand new seed and the Zebrune only a year old.  Bit cross about that and have had to supplement with some Longor sets.

As I understand it, seeds generally produce a single shallot. If you want clumps, you need to plant sets.

I have had some round-type shallots grown from seed split. However, each one is so small that a single larger one is more useful in the kitchen.

Snoop, I have only produced 1 single shallot in total from the 30 odd that I have sown.  I wasn't expecting them to multiply straight from seed.

[Eblana]

Mine went into the ground yesterday, I am half expecting to go to the plot tomorrow and find them washed down the hill the amount of rain we have had here last night and this morning.

[AnneB]

Anne, shallots from seed are meant to produce one bulb in the first year, it's the second year they divide.


Think about the sets you planted, they are a year old already and you are growing them in the 2nd year!


Don't throw them, plant them next year and you'll be drowning in shallots.


edit: Also, Long Red Florence are not a shallot, they are an heritage onion from Italy, that can be used as both a spring onion or allowed to grow on to an elongated bulb.
I only know as I am growing them myself for the first time this year from seed so have been having a read about the web!


edit 2: I just re-read your post, apologies... I now understand you had germination failures not failed to get more than one bulb per seed!

I know Long Red Florence is an onion and not a shallot, it's just that both they and the Zebrune shallots didn't germinate other than a solitary seed for each out of 30.  Sorry my shorthand made it sound as if I thought they were both shallots.

[Baldy]

My Bedford Champ and Ailsa Craig are very grasslike - some have been in unheated GH, some have been in modules in sheltered spots, some have had weak tom feed. Two different types of compost. Not great germination rates.

I'm not sure I'll have one that will win the inaugural allotment site competition.

Reminds me of that play: 'Much Faffing About Nothing' 

I may yet be surprised I guess...   
On a less downbeat note - do any of you reuse your onion bed year on year - I understand that is what most competitive onion growers do.

Pip pip,
Balders