Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: GrowinGrowinGone on August 18, 2012, 18:53

Title: Onions from seed
Post by: GrowinGrowinGone on August 18, 2012, 18:53
Today as recommended on the website I got the seed from (realseed), I have put my Sturon Onion seed in for next years onions.  Has anyone else tried doing onions from seed this time of year?  Just curious what peoples results was.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: sowitgrowit on August 18, 2012, 19:26
I'm also interested in this as I read i can do it with Ailsa Craig from seed during the autumn...
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: BabbyAnn on August 18, 2012, 19:47
 I have grown Kosma and Senshyu Yellow from seed sown direct in late August for a couple of years now with better success than trying to sow summer onions in early spring.  I too got some Sturon seed from the Real Seeds Catalogue and going to try them this year  :D  I also decided to look up other varieties and was surprised that there are in fact a few so I'll be sowing a few different ones that I already have seed to see which ones do well or not (call it an experiment - it could go badly wrong but nothing wrong with trying)

I'm also interested in this as I read i can do it with Ailsa Craig from seed during the autumn...

I think the window for sowing onion SEED (not sets) is mid to late August/early September (and also depends on location - from the midlands and further south probably do better than those in more northerly regions) ... if you try in  autumn, the soil might be too cold for germination.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: sowitgrowit on August 18, 2012, 20:33
Thanks. Ill give my Ailsa Craig seeds a go. I have a tray with cells about 2cm square. Wonder if that would be too small - onion from seed is quite whispy for a while, so hopefully it won't use all the nutrients in the compost on each cell. Should allow me to sow plenty.

Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: GrowinGrowinGone on August 18, 2012, 20:50
Thanks for the replys folks, knowing someone else has had success with these gives me hope after a terrible crop from sets (all be it bad weather conditions).  I will also look what other varities are available to grow from seed. 
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: shoozie on August 18, 2012, 21:05
I'm also interested in this as I read i can do it with Ailsa Craig from seed during the autumn...
I grew Ailsa's from seed this year - sown in January.  The packet says sow Jan- March.  They were grown in 2" seed cells, about 5 to a pot.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: mumofstig on August 19, 2012, 01:30
Ailsa Craig is not an overwintering onion, so I wouldn't think it's a good idea to sow them this early. You would have to keep them growing in a greenhouse or polytunnel until you could plant them out in March.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: Trillium on August 19, 2012, 02:27
Since Ailsa Craigs are long day onions, I'm not sure they'll do well in a fall planting with short days. They need 100 days in long days to do well and to try to start them early in fall will possibly mess up their internal timing and have them set seed early rather than size up.

While having a lovely sweet taste, they are not a keeper.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: sowitgrowit on August 19, 2012, 03:20
Aha! The voice of experience.Thanks folks.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: BabbyAnn on August 19, 2012, 05:22
Since Ailsa Craigs are long day onions, I'm not sure they'll do well in a fall planting with short days. They need 100 days in long days to do well and to try to start them early in fall will possibly mess up their internal timing and have them set seed early rather than size up.

While having a lovely sweet taste, they are not a keeper.

according to Nicky's Nursery (http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/garden-shop/onion-ailsa-craig-prizewinner-250-seeds), the sowing guide says

Quote
Sow Feb-April harvest September, sow August harvest June

I hear what you are saying Trillium and as I've never attempted to sow these or the Sturon seeds in August before, I cannot say whether they will or will not go to seed. Experimenting and trying out a few seeds however will be one way to find out   ;)  The Kosma are another one of those sow in August or spring and I have been very pleased with the results so far and like the Senshyu from seed, have had no bolting unlike the sets (as a back up plan) grown in the same season.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: shokkyy on August 19, 2012, 08:59
I think the sowing guide info you're looking at is general info for onions. The same info comes up for all onions, regardless whether or not they're suitable for autumn sowing.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: mobilekat on August 19, 2012, 10:33
I managed to over winter some red Florence shallots (by accident!)

I sowed them last summer, and they never really got going, and they were forgotten.
I had noticed them lurking, thought they were dying and forgot to deal with them!
They died back during the winter, but then came back to life this spring, and grew on quite well, this was only 6-8 plants, and not a true trial, but I am tempted to try this again.
And the flavour- yum very sweet, and superb finely sliced into a salad!
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: Trillium on August 19, 2012, 16:01
Babby Ann, I find that information odd for Ailsa Craigs because they truly are a long day onion and August plantings are for short day onions. All North American sources advocate only long day growing seasons, which means the southern USA can't grow very good Ailsa Craigs because they're in short day areas. And vice versa, many of their short day onions won't grow well here. True, they will grow, just not as well as they should or could. You can't always experiment but don't get your hopes too high for a main crop of any sort.

Onions like Sturons and Japanese varieties are a bit different again and you can get away with planting them at other times of the year. Apples and oranges.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: Christine on August 19, 2012, 18:57
I've done Senshyu Yellow a few years back as an experiment which succeeded very well. I'm working up an area to have another go with them this year.
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: A Reyt Tayty on August 19, 2012, 19:20
I sowed some Bedfordshire Champion about five months ago in modules (hoping to plant out and get a crop this year). They are now only about big enough to save as sets for next year.  :ohmy:
Title: Re: Onions from seed
Post by: spuriousmonkey on August 20, 2012, 07:26
I have grown red baron from seeds this year. I sown them in pots late march and planted them outside early june.

They were lagging behind in growth compared to the red baron onions from sets, but now that the growing season has ended they caught up quite nicely. They are a little bit smaller, but have a nicer round shape than the onions from sets.

Good usable size though. I am very pleased. Last year was a disaster. i planted them outside and most never made it and those who did were tiny.