Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: MoreWhisky on February 14, 2011, 09:00

Title: Onion sets
Post by: MoreWhisky on February 14, 2011, 09:00
Its a lovely day, i know its on the early side but do you think it would be ok to plant out  my onion sets today?

Im itching now to do it lol
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: Debz on February 14, 2011, 09:02
We've got snow forecast so I don't think the winter is finished with us yet.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: DD. on February 14, 2011, 09:03
In my book it's shallots in Feb, sets in March, we're not out of the woods yet and I think shallots can stand a real cold snap better.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: fatbelly on February 14, 2011, 09:05
I consider myself to be a bit of an Onion Guru (no one else shares this view though) and I won't be planting my sets for another 4 or 5 weeks.

I am on similar latitude to yourself weather wise, be patient for another month.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: DD. on February 14, 2011, 09:07
fatbelly and I appear to agree on this!

Plus here it was raing for the best part of yesterday and the plot is not doubt sticky again. Not good for working and planting on.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: MoreWhisky on February 14, 2011, 09:12
I got the replys i was expecting  :)

I will find something else to do.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: DD. on February 14, 2011, 10:04
Go and count your seeds again!
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: Kristen on February 14, 2011, 11:14
Onion seeDs would be ok now.

I'll get my coat ... :D
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: Bluedave on February 14, 2011, 12:36
I planted garlic and onions in November - they are all shooting through at the minute - should I cover these in a cold snap. You got me worried with your comments about snow etc!
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: Comfortably Numb on February 14, 2011, 13:47
In my book it's shallots in Feb, sets in March, we're not out of the woods yet and I think shallots can stand a real cold snap better.

Hi DD,

I had an email exchange with Moles Seeds the other day. They are not sending out any onion sets until the end of February at the earliest. They don't want people to plant them too early and find that they rot.
Still plenty of winter left yet  :)
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: bigben on February 14, 2011, 13:59
I planted garlic and onions in November - they are all shooting through at the minute - should I cover these in a cold snap. You got me worried with your comments about snow etc!
The onions you planted in November will be winter onions and should be ok - their roots will have started to develop. Putting in spring onions now when the soil is very wet and cold means they do not root until it is warmer so just sit in the wet and risk rotting.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: DD. on February 14, 2011, 14:00
Thank CN.

Nice to see a supplier being responsible - also agreeing with me that it's still winter!
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: Gandan57 on February 14, 2011, 17:37
Ground conditions last Wednesday Feb 9th were perfect so I couldn`t resist planting a 500 gram bag of sturon sets along with my shallots, I`m sure they`ll be O.K.

Still have another bag of sturon and a bag of turbo waiting for the next dry spell!
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: someoneorother on February 14, 2011, 18:12
On that note, how long should I expect shallots to take before I see some sign of growth from them? (Planted mine last week)
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: arugula on February 14, 2011, 18:19
In my book it's shallots in Feb, sets in March, we're not out of the woods yet and I think shallots can stand a real cold snap better.

Hi DD,

I had an email exchange with Moles Seeds the other day. They are not sending out any onion sets until the end of February at the earliest. They don't want people to plant them too early and find that they rot.
Still plenty of winter left yet  :)

My seed order from Garden Organic arrived complete last week apart from onion sets. :)
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: DD. on February 14, 2011, 18:26
That speaks volumes, doesn't it?
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: arugula on February 14, 2011, 18:36
Yes, it does.... :)
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: MoreWhisky on February 14, 2011, 19:17
Well i ended up building a cold frame i wish i took my camera to show everyone my effort lol. Lovely day on the plot today,
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: operabunny on February 14, 2011, 21:17
Gandan, I think we are usually OK for onion sets about this time because we are that bit further south.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: bigben on February 15, 2011, 15:02
It is tempting - in Sheffield we have had very mild days recently but next week it is half term and I remember we have often had snow on or around half term over the last few years. My sets are sat in their tray whispering to me to put them in but I need to ignore them a few more weeks yet.
Title: Re: Onion sets
Post by: rowlandwells on February 15, 2011, 18:29
bought my union sets Sunday turbo stuttgarter and red Barron good sized sets but lottie's still to wet to plough  :(

have several onion seed to set not sure if its to cold to set them without any heat on in the greenhouse whens the best time to set onion seed may have to put them in the propagator i suppose the earlier one sets the seed they produce a more productive crop :dry:

i set my onion seed probably a tad to late last years because they where smaller than the sets when lifted also i never used any fertilizer on my onions last year  :unsure:

any comments welcome  :)