[Paul Plots]

Advice please:

Just seen advert for autumn planting shallot and onion sets. Prices seemed high even with 20% off offer.

I usually buy mine cheaply from local chain store and Will go/co look again this year.
I also usually plant in spring. A good crop this year of both onions and shallots...great size and ready to lift soon.

But - wondered if there was any advantage of using more expensive sets and planting in autumn?
(I am trying to be frugal but if paying more gives better results I may consider it).

Heat treated to reduce bolting? Description online advert doesn't say..

Tips welcomed pleased. Stay cheap or go posh with dearer catalogue purchase?

[mikem]

The benefit is that you get onions earlier (and bigger?) but they don't seem to store as well as the spring grown ones.  However onion sets are normally are quite cheap.  I buy mine from the local garden centre where I can pick each one to ensure that they aren't soft and I can get exactly the number I want.

[Nobbie]

I've always gone cheap from Lidl with white onion sets and their success seems entirely down to how well I weed them. I've kept the bed well clear this year and they are huge🙂. The one problem I have had is red onions bolting and have sought out heat treated set which still bolted. I used to plant in modules first and transplant, but this year I just bought cheap untreated sets and planted direct and they have been brilliant. Looks like the transplanting from the module was the issue.

Not sure what advantage planting shallots in autumn has other than getting the job out of the way, but the onion sets you plant in autumn are usually of the Japanese type and crop about a month earlier than spring planted ones which is useful if your stored ones have bolted or are used up.

[Goosegirl]

Personally I wouldn't bother and would get some shallots and onions in spring. There's a garden centre near us where they put the sets in boxes so you can choose which ones you want and they've always done well. 

[oldgrunge]

I always plant shallots in spring. Like Gg. I buy them from a garden centre where I can select them individually. BTW, tried growing them from seed this year, sowed the Zebrune type. They've been very successful, and cheaper ( I am Welsh 😄).

[sunshineband]

Picking up the frugality theme: you can get the best of both worlds by multi- sowing "Autumn " onion varieties such as Hi Keeper in modules, then planting them out as a clump when large enough. Some can be carefully pulled and eaten as "spring onions" and the rest left to grow on, to make a clump of reasonably sized onions for kitchen use much earlier than Spring planted sets will be ready. Those left in the ground will ripoen to be harvested as Autumn planted sets would be
A packet of seed costs far less than a bag or two of sets, juts check you have a variety suitable for Autumn sowing

PS Every year most of the red ones bolt, so I am not going to grow these this coming season

[Paul Plots]

Thanks for your replies - I will resist buying very expensive sets and planting in Autumn.

I had completely forgotten I used to pant Japanese onion sets in Autumn... these were always cheaply sourced supermarket ones or from a chain store.

The shallots this year went straight into the ground in spring - a pleasing crop...they will last us through to the following year (just as last years crop has... still have a few in the kitchen).

My red onions (for the first time ever) are large and useful - only a very few bolted - again - unusual.

The others are (by my standards) massive - tops bent over and drying...

Shallots and onions - I will buy in the spring. Over wintering Japanese sets I will not go back to as I have less space these days. I am not going to start the shallots off in modules as I have done a few times in the past.. obviously unnecessary extra work and time... I guess success relies upon the weather as well as good care once they are in the ground.

Thank you everyone for your advice. Very much appreciated.

Sunshineband - I'm going to sow some white Lisbon for spring onions to grow over winter from seed. Modules and then maybe into a cold-frame with the ld removed until the weather changes then loosely covered for winter.
 

[Wiltshire Worms]

I think you can get overwintering Lisbon spring onions

[Paul Plots]

I think you can get overwintering Lisbon spring onions

I think you can too. I might try a few short rows in a cold-frame directly over the soil and see how they go... worth a try.

[DHM]

We suffer badly from white rot on our site so its always a bit of a challenge growing enough onions, shallots and garlic, however I have personally found that the overwintered ones grow hardier and larger than spring planted sets and if anything, the cheapy ones from a budget chain store grew better than the pricer ones I ordered online. This sept i will be planting only Germidour garlic, then next year try growing shallots and onions from seed as my neighbour says seed grown is more resistant to the rot.

[Mr Dog]

We suffer badly from white rot on our site so its always a bit of a challenge growing enough onions, shallots and garlic, however I have personally found that the overwintered ones grow hardier and larger than spring planted sets and if anything, the cheapy ones from a budget chain store grew better than the pricer ones I ordered online. This sept i will be planting only Germidour garlic, then next year try growing shallots and onions from seed as my neighbour says seed grown is more resistant to the rot.

Have a look for Golden Bear onion seeds (I have seen sets once but only once a few years ago) which are advertised as white rot resistant. I know people who've suffered from wr and now grow these (in fact I have this year and they've produced some good sized bulbs). Whilst they still lose a few the numbers are nowhere near those for 'normal' onions.

[Aidy]

Another curve ball...

I prefer seed to sets, generally a better quality onion/ shallot!

[rowlandwells]

I've just sown 3 packets of onion seed [Japanese] element and senshyu [bulb] Darcy mildew tolerant [spring] in a couple of frames will also be planting some autumn bulbs if the nursery get them in and at the rite price


once there up in the frame I'm going to cover them with poly sheet to overwinter and come spring pull them and transplant thr bulb onion plants into a bed don't know if I'm doing the rite thing but its going to be suck it and see

[oldgrunge]

Another curve ball...

I prefer seed to sets, generally a better quality onion/ shallot!

I don't grow onions, but this year tried shallots from seed. As a belt and braces also grew some from sets. The seed grown ones were much better.

[AnneB]

Another vote for onions from seed instead of setts.
I grew Red Brunswick and Bonus from seed this year.  Had no problems with downy mildew that I had with sets.  The Red Brunswick in particular has been great.  Far cheaper.