Onion Sets

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rugbymad40

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Onion Sets
« on: February 28, 2010, 14:48 »
With it being so wet at the moment I can't even get near my plot to plant my Onions and Shallots, so can I start them off in cell pots to plant out when the weather improves.  I don't want to miss out on growing time, but I know if I even try to plant them know I will have problems with bulbs rotting etc...

Has anyone else tried this?

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Rugbymad40
Enjoying the traditional ways and values of life.

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Ropster

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2010, 14:57 »
yes you can start them off, I have my shallots in pots and a handfull of onions, but thhere is still plenty of time to get onions in so no need to rush for those

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Goosegirl

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2010, 16:23 »
I always start mine off in modules so I can determine which are live and which are duds so I don't get any gaps. Mine are in a coldframe but they may be ok outside - not sure which is best method.
I work very hard so don't expect me to think as well.

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rugbymad40

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2010, 18:24 »
I have a cold frame and also a greenhouse - so will probably try some in both.

I have started my garlic like this in the past and it has worked fine, so assumed that would be the case.

Many thanks good people.

Rugbymad40

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nobby90

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2010, 19:10 »
def a good idea starting them in pots.  Gives them a head start and stops them been pulled up by birds etc.

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craggy

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2010, 19:28 »
def a good idea starting them in pots.  Gives them a head start and stops them been pulled up by birds etc.
seems a lot of extra work.Why not just plant them on the veg plot?

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nobby90

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2010, 19:18 »
def a good idea starting them in pots.  Gives them a head start and stops them been pulled up by birds etc.
seems a lot of extra work.Why not just plant them on the veg plot?


Its not that much extra work.  But the head start they get in the pollytunnel is worth the work.  Well it is with the weather up here.

I also like to plant my Onions through Landscape fabric.  Keeps the ground warmer, keeps moister in and the weeds down.

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Jamie Butterworth

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2010, 19:50 »
Put mine into sets yesterday, them polystririne cells of 40, see how it goes. Plus Gardeners world magazine sayy that you should do it this way to give them the best start :D
If you want to be happy for a short time - get drunk.

If you want to be happy for a long time - fall in love.

If you want to be happy forever - take up gardening!

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craggy

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2010, 21:56 »
def a good idea starting them in pots.  Gives them a head start and stops them been pulled up by birds etc.
seems a lot of extra work.Why not just plant them on the veg plot?


Its not that much extra work.  But the head start they get in the pollytunnel is worth the work.  Well it is with the weather up here.

I also like to plant my Onions through Landscape fabric.  Keeps the ground warmer, keeps moister in and the weeds down.
how many sets?

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DD.

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2010, 08:03 »
How many? Don't know, but I've got at least 300 to do and I'm not messing about like this. I'll bide my time. They went in at the end of March last year, straight into the ground and I had the best crop ever.
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

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bigben

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2010, 12:05 »
I like the idea of starting them in pots but I have about 350-400 to do, so it is not really practical. I have not really been bothered by birds much in the past - cats and squirels are more of a pest at home. I hope to plant thru fabric this year to keep the weeds down and am not looking forward to cutting all those holes and pegging it all down. The old guys on the plot swear by it though and it does seem to make it easier to keep on top of the weeds.

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Trikidiki

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2010, 22:57 »
....I hope to plant thru fabric this year to keep the weeds down and am not looking forward to cutting all those holes and pegging it all down......

If you fold the fabric like a concertina you could cut multiple holes at once and with perfectly straight lines. Might try it myself.

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bigben

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2010, 08:59 »
Trikidiki - genius! What a good idea!

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DD.

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2010, 09:03 »
You lot really like making work and incurring expense, dont you? :lol:

It takes 15 minutes to hoe a large onion bed, no added expense for weed supressant fabric which makes a nice hiding place for slugs.

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bigben

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Re: Onion Sets
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2010, 09:22 »
DD - I have just taken over the allotment in Jan and am playing "catchup" to try and get beds in a state where they can be planted. It has been untended for three years and is in a shocking state. I dug tons of couch grass and bindweed out of what is going to be my onion bed but I know I will have missed some and hope the fabric will help keep it down. I thought about doing the same with my spud section but decided to risk it without fabric and hope the earthing up and regular hoeing will keep down the bindweed and couch grass. Eventually I hope to get the weeds to a point where the fabric will be unnecessary but at present I hope the cost of the fabric will save me a bit of time on having to hoe the onion bed regularly and will allow me to use the time gained towards hacking down and digging another bed for something else.



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