[JayG]

(Just in case; first name Kristen, last name ?? ?? , address ?? ?? ??)   

No!

first name ?? ??, last name ?? ?? , address ?? ?? ??

WarraWimp!   

[Trillium]

With my leeks this year, I'm doing it the John way like this:
http://www.allotment-garden.org/allotment-tips/planting-leeks.php

I sometimes refer to it as the lazy person's way as there's so little to do once you've seeded, watered and set it out to harden off later.

Mine are in a similar container as John's, an old rectangular planter and I sowed seeds thinly so I wouldn't have to do any transplanting until they go into their final garden spot. Seedlings are all up now and doing well.

Did something very similar with my onions - I just don't have time to do much fussing with transplanting over and over.

[DD.]

That's very, very similar to the cat litter tray method!

However, it doesn't help my onions!

[shokkyy]

I wasn't planning to transplant my onion seedlings, but in the end felt I had to because they were lying along the compost surface and not standing up, they just looked too shallow. Since I transplanted them they've stood up straight and looked a lot better, but it was the fiddliest job in the world.

[Brassica Blaz]

hi all ,its my first time with red onion seed this year .sown 02/02/11 they have all germinated and are about 3/4 inches tall and look abit "hungover"and i didnt water with champers either. .they are in 3 inch modules with 3to4 seedlings per mod in a cold greenhouse.im trying the tichmarsh method when planting out,only doing half a bed though other half is sets in case the ones from seed fail!. i couldnt bear going the whole year having to buy mi onions.so ive got mi back up plan sorted!

[gardgydja]

I think my onion seeds must have been too old, or duds to begin with, because I had two packets of these seeds and last year it was the same story. I have leeks just next to them in the same window, uncovered, in the same brand of compost, with the same amount of moisture, and they are doing fine. The four sprouted onion seeds I got out of the whole packet are also doing fine, it's just that they are so lonely without their unsprouted 90 odd brothers and sisters. I'm going to buy a new pack from a different company and try again! Thank you all for the good tips.

[SG6]

Sown 2 half trays and basically I have too many. Guess that 90% are at the inch and a half to two inch stage.

I simply scattered the packet over the compost, watered and kind of left them to it on a window, have over 95% germination.

Got the seed from More Veg so each packet had enough seed not to swamp the tray, 50-60 I think. One lot had a silver coating (bit weird) so I could see them and move them to get an even spread. Now those seedlings have a small silver seed cap at the top.

Going to plant into separate modules this week, the after a couple more weeks into the prepared beds.

[Jome]

This is the first year I have grown onions from seed, they are potted up to one a module and are doing well in the unheated greenhouse. I was wondering what was the correct time to transplant them to the allotment. I'm guessing late April/early May, and have looked at John Harrison's growing guidelines on this website but he's not too specific. He just says harden off in a cold frame to stop them getting confused about the time of year (if they are kept in conditions over 15C) My greenhouse is getting very warm now, so I'm thinking I should take them out during warm days and stick them back in at night. Any thoughts/advice?

[Stevens706]

Last year I sowed mine 17th Jan and planted 8th May, after they had germinated they lived in my un-heated greenhouse until planting out

[Kristen]

2 - 3 true leaves would be about the right time.

Make sure the roots are planted vertically (untangle them if they have ground round-and-round the cell) with the "bulb" about 1/2" below the surface

[Jome]

Thanks! They haven't really grown much in the last couple of weeks so I may put them in pots instead of modules.