Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: amiman on February 06, 2018, 14:43

Title: Onion advice required
Post by: amiman on February 06, 2018, 14:43

This is our second year on our allotment. Last year we only really grew potatoes. This year we are trying different things.

We have had a delivery of red onions, shallot sets and as it said on packet we spread them out on trays. Some are now shooting after a few days.

My questions are:

Do we need to get them in the ground quickly?
Currently as you will all know we are having cold weather is it safe to plant them out now?

thanks in advance

Title: Re: Onion advice required
Post by: mumofstig on February 06, 2018, 15:07

I suspect they are too warm - have you anywhere cooler (but not freezing) to store them, til this cold snap is over?

Title: Re: Onion advice required
Post by: Dev on February 06, 2018, 15:40

You could try planting them in pots, particularly if you've got a greenhouse, then planting out when the weather's a bit better. If you haven't got a greenhouse, then Mumofstig is probably right - too warm.

Title: Re: Onion advice required
Post by: amiman on February 06, 2018, 15:59

Thanks for the answers

We do not have a greenhouse, we did until about 3 weeks ago when we had the bad storm. It wrapped it round the tree on the next allotment. Ripped it straight off the base.

The only place cooler we have is the hut on the allotment. They should not freeze in there should they.

Title: Re: Onion advice required
Post by: Mr Dog on February 06, 2018, 16:40

I've kept them in the fridge before now....

Title: Re: Onion advice required
Post by: sunshineband on February 07, 2018, 08:52

Quote from: amiman on February 06, 2018, 15:59

Thanks for the answers

We do not have a greenhouse, we did until about 3 weeks ago when we had the bad storm. It wrapped it round the tree on the next allotment. Ripped it straight off the base.

The only place cooler we have is the hut on the allotment. They should not freeze in there should they.

They might do. Our dahlia tubers froze in the allotment shed last year and we are in a so called "mild" area. You could try putting them on the windowsill in your coolest room. Maybe a bedroom? they need light too so they don't go all long and thin. As soon as the ground is not frozen, the shallots can go in as they are as tough as they come, but the onions could wait for a while.

If you put them in the fridge it might stop them shooting so light wouldn't matter, but wrap them in kitchen roll or something to make sure they don't get wet and rot

Title: Re: Onion advice required
Post by: amiman on February 07, 2018, 14:27

Cheers everybody for your input
I have a spare fridge so have put them in there set fridge to one and a half so will be cool not cold.