Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Snowboar on December 24, 2020, 00:55
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Hi all mine have just started showing take it there better off in greenhouse rather than in ground covered in fleece Yorkshire area plant out in March also what’s best way to prep soil and feed
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Well it seems the onion growers are off already for a new season, so here we go with a new thread. Last years thread is here for reference.
https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=131334.0
I am thinking about a Boxing Day sowing, so must remember to get some compost into small seed trays and into the house to warm up.
There is no need to rush, but I enjoy the ritual of it every year. The main things are to have seeds that are designed for early sowing, have a plan for a bright, cool but frost free area or areas to grow them on until they are ready to plant out and lots of patience. They are tiny little seedlings that take a long time to get going and do a fair impression of chives for quite some weeks. However, your prolonged TLC does produce rewards, so if you want to join in for an early sown crop, this is the place :)
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I'm starting mine as soon as my new seeds arrive :D
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::) Dashes off to get compost in from outside.. growing (or attempting to!) all of mine from seed this year, Highlander, Isobel Rose and my usual Long Red Florence.
the LRF seeds are quite old now, so I may have to buy some more ::) see what germination is like first, though :)
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Looking at sowing on boxing day thats the onions for home use the show onions are well on their way now.
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Looking at sowing on boxing day thats the onions for home use the show onions are well on their way now.
I don’t show them and they are for home use. I just like growing a few big onions each year and that is what is being sown first :)
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Is it that time of the year already? :wacko:
Best get me'sel sorted and get cracking.
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I used up the rest of a pack of Globo from last year, but I have a spare seed tray ready filled and some fresh Alisa Craig seeds if they are no good. There were plenty of seeds so they went in thickly to allow for any falling off in germination rates.
We’re off :D
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Advice on planting scallions please!
I've never really tried growing onions before, but would like to grow some scallions, something we use a lot. The seed I selected is called Evergreen Bunching, specifically for scallions.
Our January-February night low temperatures range from -4 °C to +4 °C, but mostly a couple degrees above freezing. Day high temperature ranges from 7 to 18 °C.
A local gardening columnist recommends "Onions are completely hardy; put them out as soon as the soil can be worked in mid- to late- winter. Start them from seed sown directly in the garden, from seedling transplants (called stick-outs), or from onion sets..."
I sowed directly into the ground about 2 weeks ago (December 14), per packet instructions. So far, nothing has come up. We had mostly warm weather for this time of year, but had one dip just before Christmas that was about -5 °C at night.
Am I expecting to see sprouting seeds too early? Is it likely our cold snap killed anything that sprouted? Other thoughts?
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John has some good advice here:
https://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/grow-your-own-spring-onions-or-scallions-salad-onions/
But remember to tweek it for your climate.
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It is possible to overwinter spring onions or scallions in the UK as per John’s advice, usually in a poly tunnel or greenhouse, but most people here would not sow until March or April. We have the cold nights, but also cold days and low light levels, so your local garden columnist probably knows better than us SP :)
Cooler temperatures slow everything down, so your seeds may be just taking their time.
My Globo onions are showing signs of life, but they are pampered indoors so got going in a week.
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Hi
First year growing from seed but my seed order delivery is delayed and looking like they won't be here until end of Jan. :wacko:
Should I just be patient and wait until then or am I losing a vital month's growth? I could pop to wilko tomorrow and pick up some seeds and save the others until next year. I've ordered Armstrong as they are supposed to be good storers - any similar varieties I could substitute? I'm used to my onion crop lasting until at least March!
cheers
Gra
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I thought I had sown all my Onion seed but on checking my sowing list noticed I had missed a packet of Shallots so in they shall go tomorrow.
BTW the onions were sown on Boxing day and are just showing signs of a few seed germinating. 9 days from sowing.
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Hi
First year growing from seed but my seed order delivery is delayed and looking like they won't be here until end of Jan. :wacko:
Should I just be patient and wait until then or am I losing a vital month's growth? I could pop to wilko tomorrow and pick up some seeds and save the others until next year. I've ordered Armstrong as they are supposed to be good storers - any similar varieties I could substitute? I'm used to my onion crop lasting until at least March!
cheers
Gra
I don’t think the growth in January is vital. If you want to grow show onions it is, but if you just want some nice sized onions for storage, I would hang on until you get the seeds of the ones you want.
Mine are not show onions, just big onions grown for fun. I have another pack of seeds for another kind and they won’t get sown until next month :)
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Im going to try some zebrune shallots. Would you still start these this early?
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Thanks Newshoot ;)
I try to apply patience to my growing but at this time of year I'm always itching to get started.
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I try to apply patience to my growing but at this time of year I'm always itching to get started.
Aren't we all, though ::)
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Im going to try some zebrune shallots. Would you still start these this early?
I’ve got some Prisma shallot seeds but they can go in Feb/May according to the blurb on the pack. I wasn’t rushing as they are only going to grow to a certain size then stop. The giant onions will grow on to bigger and better sizes if sown early, but unless you are desperate to start playing with seeds - which is a perfectly valid reason BTW - I would leave them a while yet :)
The main constraint on starting things early for me is where I then grow all those seedlings on. The greenhouse isn’t heated and there is only so much room in the house (or so OH says anyway). I have to toe the line a bit as he tolerates a lot of windowsill gardening early on in the year and there are limits to which I can push that :lol:
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That's one of the few joys of living alone, I do what I like :lol: :lol:
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That's the same variety (the so called banana ones) I sowed today. Five or six seeds to a plug simular to onions. Bit of an experiment for me I have never grown shallots before.
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The vermiculite I ordered finally arrived, so I sowed my onions today. A 28 hole module of Hylander, a 24 of Isobel Rose and an 18 of LRF. Most ended up with more than 1 seed in (my clumsy hands!)
So just wait and see what comes up :lol:
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I sowed my onions today, a bit later than I normally do, but it's been absolutely freeeeezing in the greenhouse.
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Going to give Mammoth a try this year instead of the usual Showmaster.
Seed is pricy at £4.75 inc p&p for 100 but i have a tiny garden and find it better to grow a few huge onions in big pots and odd gaps than try to grow a row of smaller ones.
Big onions do not store as well as some of the smaller varieties but they keep reasonably well and the very largest will be displayed with pride and cosseted till they are sliced and consigned to a ziplock bag in the freezer!
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Another question for my first year of onions from seed.
All of mine have sprouted in a heated propagator in the shed by a window. Some are looking a bit leggy already. Is it too soon to transfer them to an unheated polytunnel? Was thinking of turning the propagator off for a day or two and then just putting them in the poly in covered seed trays with and a bit of bubble wrap as insulation - too soon?
Like i say, first year so although I know they are quite hardy - I don't know how hardy! :unsure:
cheers
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They are pretty hardy, but won’t be happy if they get frosted. They don’t need the heat from a propagator though.
I use my unheated greenhouse, but offer additional protection with a cheap 4 tier mini greenhouse inside of it. That works for me in the south east, so factor in your local weather :)
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I've still only got germination from one of my 3 varieties, all in the same conditions, indoors.
I know 1 was from last year's seed, so maybe they won't grow, but the other tray was brand new see. Hmmm
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Thanks New Shoot.
I've turned the propagator off and they can stay in the shed for a couple more days - I'm coastal north west so maybe a bit chillier but not by lots. I'll put them in polystyrene fish boxes with a cover and put them in the poly at the weekend. ;)
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Hi all quick question I had some ailsea giant onion seed about 6 year old sown it and a couple miraculously have sprouted would that make a strong onion or would it be weakened because of its age
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If they are growing then they'll be strong enough :)
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Thanks I still Carnt believe they germinated sew about 50 seeds though and only two came up
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Thanks I still Carnt believe they germinated sew about 50 seeds though and only two came up
Maybe they will be super heavy weight giant onions. They germinated after 6 years, so must be survivors. You never know ;) :lol:
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Hope so shame I’m growing them lol
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have set the following Globo exhibition sweet Spanish karmen Mammoth and Hybound [pelleted] salads sown Ishikura Borettana
Globo are growing well ahead of the others
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I’ve got hybound Red Baron and ailsea all under lights first time used light can any 1 tell me best way to take them from lights to ground got greenhouse with a small heater thanks
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Good germination from Hylander but still not very good from Isobel Rose, so I've moved those into the propagator, perhaps they need a bit more heat than the others.
Snowboar, sorry can't help as I've never used lights.
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Ok thanks anyway mumofstig do you know when is it time to feed onion seedlings how often I quess it would be a weak nitrogen feed
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1 more thing should I pot on ailsea onion when still at crook stage
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Grow lights- I move them out and into the greenhouse at the end of January usually. This is partly due to temperatures but also light levels, which improve a lot over the month. I harden them off and plant them out in May as a general rule, but you need proper spring like conditions and a cloche or fleece on standby for late frosts.
Feed - yes. I use a weak Baby Bio solution when they are in the house, because it lives under the sink and I use it for houseplants. They get weak veg feed once out in the greenhouse.
Potting on I leave until they straighten up and start on a second or third leaf. If you feed them, they can stay in a starter seed tray or pot for a while without harm and they are less fiddly to handle :)
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Thanks for reply new shoot how do I harden off seedlings from lights to greenhouse or do I just need to harden off before putting in ground my greenhouse has bubble wrap and a small paraffin Heater thank you
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If the greenhouse is heated and insulated, I would say you go straight from one to the other, so long as temperatures are not too severe. I have to faff a bit more and move them onto cool, but bright windowsills indoors before I trust them to the greenhouse.
We are forecast some cold nights over the next week or so, so I might well hang on until the first or second week of February this year :)
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Thanks for advice really appreciated 😄👍🏻
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Can I join the onions-from-seed club?
I've only grown them from sets before, but have somehow acquired a packet of onion seeds (why are seeds so good at jumping into the shopping basket?)
I have found the article on the main site about them, but does anyone have any useful advice or want to scare me away?
Would they be happy starting in the airing cupboard till they germinate then going onto a windowsill in a cold room? (It gets the most light of all the rooms in the house.)
Thanks
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Would they be happy starting in the airing cupboard till they germinate then going onto a windowsill in a cold room? (It gets the most light of all the rooms in the house.)
Sounds like a plan to me :)
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Can I join the onions-from-seed club?
I've only grown them from sets before, but have somehow acquired a packet of onion seeds (why are seeds so good at jumping into the shopping basket?)
I have found the article on the main site about them, but does anyone have any useful advice or want to scare me away?
Would they be happy starting in the airing cupboard till they germinate then going onto a windowsill in a cold room? (It gets the most light of all the rooms in the house.)
Thanks
To give them a bit more reflected light a plastic survival / space blanket can be hung off the curtain track , selotaped to cardboard or similar.
You can get a few for very little money off an auction site beginning with e !
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Good germination from Hylander but still not very good from Isobel Rose, so I've moved those into the propagator, perhaps they need a bit more heat than the others.
I've sown some more Isobel Rose and Long Red Florence, fingers crossed for 2nd time lucky!!
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Finally got the sowing season underway, one tray with Bedfordshire Champion and one with Red Baron.
Also pictured, Germidour garlic started in pots as the garden beds are not yet ready for them.
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Having waited a month for my new propagator to arrive... the first seedling of the year is long red Florence
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Thanks for the advice everyone, my onions are now up and on the windowsill with tin foil behind them.
(Assembling reflectors from foil and cereal boxes reminds me of making crowns from the same materials aged 5 or 6, I do treat my seedlings like they're royalty!)
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Globo and Ailsa Craig looking healthy. Will move them outside into the greenhouse after next weeks cold snap.
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Onions are up! Germination doesn't look great, but there should be enough to get a decent cop I reckon.
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Yours have done much better than my Isobel Rose, I made a 2nd sowing with what was left in the envelope and only got another half a dozen. I'm really not impressed :(
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My onions are now on the go: Golden Bear, Santero and Redspark sown in modules as clumps of 4, Zebrune, Exhibition, 'Giant' and Mammoth Red sown as 'singles'.
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So 24 modules, 4 seeds per module = 96 seeds
And only 2 have germinated >:(
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My onions are sown (thickly) and laying all over the place. They were germinated in the propagation with lights then place by a window inside. My problem is ...do I pot them on? I didn’t last year but then I sowed sparingly because I planted sets too and they were fine. I also want to put in a cold frame for more light but worry this might be too cold. Any thoughts?
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Any updates? I have just thinned mine i sowed in pots to one plant per pot. Also sowed my zebrune
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Disaster for me! The bad winds we had the other week moved my cheapo temporary greenhouse and the onions were sent to the floor. I tried to prick them out and save them but they all died...
Onion sets it is then!
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I have 2 lots in the greenhouse - Globo and Red Herald. I’ll try and grab a piccy later. I have been putting extra layers of protection and fleece over them for the cold nights.
Isobel Rose are inside germinating and I have sown a dozen or so :unsure: pots of spring onions in the greenhouse. It was an idea I read on here to start them in 4” pots, then plant out. There is a tiny pinch of seed in each.
I have just remembered I have some Ishikura bunching onions on the go out there as well. I am going to use them as bunching onions later in the year, but sowed a few in modules to try and get Japanese style naga-negi, which are large leek sized onions. Not sure if it going to work, but you grow them just like leeks. There was a ton of seed in the pack, so it is worth a go :)
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My Hylanders are in the g/house looking weedy, still, but alive, and the Pink Panther sets are showing green already. Indoors I have about 8 weedy Isobel Rose out of the whole packet ::)
I've not sown any bunching onions yet, they're on the to do list - but the weather has put me off, a bit :(
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These were sown end of January and doing very well Ailsa Craig
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Globo and Red Herald in the greenhouse. The Globo are going to be my monster onions (fingers crossed) so have been treated to their own pots.
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mine aren't standing up. Not enough light? they are in a bedroom window :(
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Mine aren't either. The next leaf should be ok though, fingers crossed ::)
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When can i plant my onion seeds out ???
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Seedlings can be knocked back by frosts, so I usually wait until late April or early May, although they will have been in the cold frame for several weeks before that.
You are aiming for a fairly consistent 10-15 degrees C for them to keep growing steadily.
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Anyone care to update with an image so I can compare where im up to?
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Will do when I am next at the plot :)
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Globo onions sown Boxing Day.
Red Herald sown 15th Feb.
Last one is some Isobel Rose sown 27th Feb. They are in the background behind a seed row of leeks.
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I know we are all up against it this season and not everything, or even anything much, is growing as it should, but indulge me for a little dance of joy. I promise to be quick about it ;)
I rescued the onions from the weeds today and found these :)
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well they look alright to me New shoot even better on your plate than leaving them to the elements where they grew from seed or sets?
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where they grew from seed or sets?
They are my Globo onions grown from seed sown on Boxing Day :)
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I’m so pleased with mine also but I do t want to blow it now. The tips don’t seem to be leaning over as yet so are they still too early to pull? My shallots seem to be getting a bit chubby at the top. I’m hoping they will store ok? Any advice??
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I’m so pleased with mine also but I do t want to blow it now. The tips don’t seem to be leaning over as yet so are they still too early to pull? My shallots seem to be getting a bit chubby at the top. I’m hoping they will store ok? Any advice??
I’d give the onions a bit longer yet Benny as they look like they are still growing.
It is hard to see the necks of the shallots, but if could be they are developing flower stems inside. If the necks feel like there is a hard core inside, pull one out and check by cutting across the neck of it. If they running to flowers they won’t store I am afraid.
If you catch them before it goes too far you can salvage something. You can chop them and freeze them, or make a preserve like onion marmalade with them.
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Just put onion seedlings out. I expect them to make it through winter with ease. Shallots and elephant garlic by the end of the month. Some onion seedlings will grow better as they have full sunlight. The others are between 4x4 posts and get less light. Not entirely bothered by size as quantity counts just as much.
Not sure about leek seedlings as they are very small so may overwinter.
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Is this a good week to pull them up and start drying do you think?
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The necks are starting to bend over on mine and I am considering pulling them soon, so yes it could be. I usually wait until they look like they are finishing up and then pull them. If the necks are still very solid and they have a lot of leaves still upright, you might want to hang on a bit.
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Onions Red Herald and Isobel Rose which were sown mid February and late February respectively. Otherwise grown the same and planted out right next to each other at the plot. The Isobel Rose were just a few seeds left from last year that I was using up, but I don’t think I will bother again. Bit of a slacker our Isobel compared to the red onions :lol:
Just the Globo onions to harvest now :)
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Onions Red Herald and Isobel Rose which were sown mid February and late February respectively. Otherwise grown the same and planted out right next to each other at the plot. The Isobel Rose were just a few seeds left from last year that I was using up, but I don’t think I will bother again. Bit of a slacker our Isobel compared to the red onions :lol:
Just the Globo onions to harvest now :)
For red onions I'd recommend Redspark. They produce good sized bulbs and are great keepers (I've still got 3 to use from last year) although they are a bit on the tender side when it comes to temperature.
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I am a bit pleased with these so bear with me :D
Globo onions lifted today and set out in the shed to dry, with my mucky little paw in there for scale.
The big daddy one is the biggest onion I have ever grown :ohmy:
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I am a bit pleased with these so bear with me :D
Globo onions lifted today and set out in the shed to dry, with my mucky little paw in there for scale.
The big daddy one is the biggest onion I have ever grown :ohmy:
How do Globo keep? I grow a few Exhibition and 'Giant' (which I think may be a Kelsae strain) for big onions but they don't keep particularly well.
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How do Globo keep? I grow a few Exhibition and 'Giant' (which I think may be a Kelsae strain) for big onions but they don't keep particularly well.
They don’t keep long term, which is why I also just grow a few. I have to grow all onions under insect mesh and have limited storage, so I tend to buy basic cooking onions. These are a bit special and don’t last long in this house anyway. I might have to buy some steak for making steak and onions to celebrate the harvest :)