onion sets

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rowlandwells

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onion sets
« on: January 20, 2022, 15:59 »
I was thinking about starting my onion sets of in pots before planting them out on the pot do you think that's a good idea or not ?

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Christine

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2022, 16:50 »
My soil was so wet when the winter onion sets were available that they started out in trays under netting to protect from the flying squad. They were planted out into prepared beds when the soil was a bit drier and they had shoots on. They seem to be doing well so far.

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mumofstig

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2022, 17:30 »
That's what I had to do last year, because of the weather, and I've done the same again this year.
It seems to work ok, I just put nets over them for a little while, when they finally got planted out - cos the birds wanted to peck them out  ::)

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Yorkie

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2022, 18:34 »
I've often started onion sets off in tiny modules and then planted them out without further root disturbance. It tends to mean that the birds don't pull them out as easily. So yes, pots would work but may take up a lot of compost compared to what you might get away with in smaller modules.
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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mower man

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2022, 10:01 »
I maybe wrong,  but I was once told not to plant this years onion sets before the Spring Equinox
because they will Bolt
Now I only plant after March 22
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mumofstig

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2022, 10:46 »
I maybe wrong,  but I was once told not to plant this years onion sets before the Spring Equinox
because they will Bolt
Now I only plant after March 22
I think it's all to do with day length, some onions are classed as 'short day length' onions and some are 'long day length'
explained here https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/rbg-vegetable-tasks/onion/onion-short-long-day.php
As the link says we don't talk about it much in the UK, but would explain why different varieties grow better in different locations?

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rowlandwells

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2022, 11:29 »
from what your saying it seems to be a good idea to start our onion sets of in pots or trays being mindful of root disturbance we have  both modules and pots we can use and i take your point  about how much compost we mite use obviously taking into account  both the pot or modules size

however because of the amount of sets we plan to set I don't think we will have enough room in either the poly tunnel or greenhouses for all the sets so some sets will to be direct sown and I know I have had some good sound advise from some of our fellow gardeners in the past how we should prep the ground prior to planting out an onion bed or beds

so for the direct planting I think I'm going to first of prep the ground as said then make a V channel put some compost in the channel then plant the sets in the compost then cover the sets

do you think that method mite be a good way of starting of planting onion sets and shallots ?

this seasons onion trials
still on the subject of planting out onions and I may have commented on this before  I've got an idea of planting my onion plants and raised sets in Bio-Degradable mulch film strips so there weed free because I have the idea by using this film more goodness will be put into the growing rather than feeding the weeds and it may cause less damage by hand weeding as weeding is a very time consuming job and one thing I hate doing I intend to leave the rows about a foot apart not covered between the rows so that can be easily weeded and if I need to liquid feed so as I said its going to be on a trial basis to see if this method works
not sure  :unsure:


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Enfield Glen

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2022, 14:22 »
I usually start by planting my onions quite close together and then start harvesting every other one to use in salads, this allows them to grow a bit larger. Personally I prefer not to let them get too large.

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Subversive_plot

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2022, 03:53 »
This is the time to plant long-day onions, like the Stuttgarter and Red Barron sets I just bought. They are planted late winter, and form bulbs in the spring and summer.

Short-day onions are grown over the winter, and harvested in the spring. Our Vidalia sweet onions are short-day onions.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2022, 10:38 by Subversive_plot »
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Nick Ford

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2022, 12:30 »
I was thinking about starting my onion sets of in pots before planting them out on the pot do you think that's a good idea or not ?

Maybe. :-/ I recently ordered a quantity of Pink Keravel sets which arrived absurdly early, a couple of days ago. So yesterday I planted them all out on modules of peat-free compost in an unheated porch which gets plenty of light. We'll see what happens over the next 6-8 weeks before I can even think of bedding them oout on the plot.

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Yorkie

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2022, 17:58 »
We usually advise our customers at the allotment shop to delay planting the red onions for a few weeks - I think that comes from the supplier.

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comfreykid

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2022, 22:40 »
I have found that planting red onion sets a few weeks later than the golden ones stops the red ones bolting  :)

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Subversive_plot

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2022, 19:04 »
Yorkie and ComfreyKid, is that to target a certain day length, or temperature?

My conditions are different, of course.  Our forecast here shows a dip below freezing a week and a half from now, but no freeze in the long-range forecast after that (Yes, the weather 2 weeks out and more could certainly change!).

I'd like to get my reds in the ground at about the same time as the yellow onions.  But I can wait if it is still too early.

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Yorkie

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2022, 20:54 »
To be honest, I've no idea!  :unsure:

I had presumed it was to do with temperature, but day length hadn't occurred to me.

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comfreykid

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Re: onion sets
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2022, 22:07 »
That’s a very good question !! .  I don’t know , it could be both.
All l can say is that they have never bolted planting later.
I think there are a couple of reasons for sets bolting , a cold snap which makes the set think it will die , so it sets seed to ensure survival . And a hot snap for the same reason .  :)



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