[snowdrops]

I’m in with a small pit of red onion seedlings I was given by a friend yesterday, he’s been sent hem to trial from the National Vegetable Society they come via Medwyn Williams & are a trial so no name as yet !  . On the back of that my friend is putting red onions back in our clubs show, so I offered to sponsor it. I’ll let you know how they on.

[hague151]

I've sown onions in very small (plug size) modules. The leaves are about 4" long but very spindly. I think that they need more nutrition because they only have about a cubic inch each. I'm in Devon, so it's a fairly mild climate. Is it too early to plant them out to their final location? Thanks.

[snowdrops]

I’d pot them into bigger modules or 3” pots, not sure on your weather conditions but still seems a bit early to me.

[hague151]

Hmm, that would be a heck of a lot of work. I may take the chance, try to warm up the earth a bit first and use some fleece. I'll report back.

[Plot 1 Problems]

Late start this year, these Ailsa Craig were sown on the 1st February, germination could have been a little better, so I might have to sow a few sets extra next month to bulk out the harvest.

[Enfield Glen]

When do people usually plant out?

[New shoot]

When do people usually plant out?

It depends on the weather.  You need to avoid frosts and cold snaps if you can.  Mine usually go out in late April/early May.  They are in the unheated greenhouse and will graduate to the cold frame, but we are forecast cold nights at the moment.  I'll admit I am a bit cautious with onion plants, but they take so long to raise, it is such a shame to see them hit by bad weather.

I do feed with a dilute liquid feed while they are waiting to go out.  That makes  big difference and stops them going lanky or pale looking.

[Plot 1 Problems]

These guys will be going in the ground tomorrow, they're desperate...

[New shoot]

These guys will be going in the ground tomorrow, they're desperate...

Yes they do look like they are ready to break out of those trays.  Nice plants though.   Fingers crossed for a good crop 

[Plot 1 Problems]

These guys will be going in the ground tomorrow, they're desperate...

Yes they do look like they are ready to break out of those trays.  Nice plants though.   Fingers crossed for a good crop 

Yep, I normally would have potted them on already but they were sown late so I guessed I'd get away with leaving them in the tray.

[New shoot]

Mine have been out for a couple of weeks now and looking good 

[New shoot]

Progress picture 

I had some onions from sets as well.   They are already finished and the biggest bulbs were only the size of my seed grown ones, which are still going strong. 

[mumofstig]

I lifted my set-grown ones on Saturday. They had very little root growth left and a few had white/basal rot starting, unfortunately I found the same on the ones I grew from seed 
That means I've no beds that are free of disease, so this will be the last year of trying to grow big onions. I'll just grow more bunching onions in my garden.

[New shoot]

I lifted my set-grown ones on Saturday. They had very little root growth left and a few had white/basal rot starting, unfortunately I found the same on the ones I grew from seed 
That means I've no beds that are free of disease, so this will be the last year of trying to grow big onions. I'll just grow more bunching onions in my garden.

Oh what a shame, but no point if they get white rot is there 

Your plan B sounds like a good option.

[rowlandwells]

we lifted our onion crop last week just in time as some where started to get white rot but we couldn't complain despite the dry hot weather we  had a good crop of onions little waste from  both white and red onions we grew sets and seed raised but having said all that we still have to pull the crop before the white rot sets in 

I've decided to grow more onions from seed next season going for the following Element a Japanese [overwinter] sow week 3 August then next year Globo Santero Redlander and Exhibition also would like to try Bedfordshire champion but unsure how they will turn out? also going to grow shallots from seed Ambition

if anyone has been growing Bedfordshire Champion any feed back on this variety would be most welcome  many thanks RW