[allotmentann]

I think the secret with spring onions is a lot of patience! Mine have grown in multi purpose compost at home, in clay at the plot, in pots of mixed media at the plot - but they have all taken far, far longer than the packet says. And like Hannah I tend to forget all about them, then all of a sudden they are ready. Never grown them in a greenhouse though.

[Growster...]

Quite true Ann, and when you think that they cost around 6p each in the shops...;0)

[Aunt Sally]

You see, I am told that my failure has been growing them in pots of multi-purpose and yet look at the above. Multi-purpose compost !

I've never told you that, Hubballi. 

I tell you that over watering, over feeding, and lack of good light and ventilation is you problem.

[hubballi]

You see, I am told that my failure has been growing them in pots of multi-purpose and yet look at the above. Multi-purpose compost !

I've never told you that, Hubballi. 

I tell you that over watering, over feeding, and lack of good light and ventilation is you problem.

But hasn't been the problem with my spring onions. If you track back on this thread you will read this:

I think you are growing in pots or containers using commercial composts which may be the root of all your troubles Plants need the many and varied consituents of garden soil it contains fungi and trace elements that is missing in grow bags or composts growing directly into the earth also gives a more stable enviroment ie its slower to dry out and temperatures at the roots are more stable . with composts the nutrients are washed out with repeated waterings . If you must grow in containers use the biggest you can get or make and use a mix of earth and composts. next google the type of plant you want to grow they all want a bit of different care once you realise what a plants needs are then the challange is to provide them 

[mobilekat]

Well if its any help I have had equally poor growth on my spring onions in soil and compost, but at the the other end of the same raised bed had great garlic.

But on the other hand if I ask for help and people offer suggestions I am grateful and dont ridicule the advice given.
After all one brand of compost is vastly different from another, one garden is sunnier than another etc etc
Why bother asking for advice if you then are going to ignore it, or try to play one persons advice off against another. 

[GrannieAnnie]

My spring onions seem to take forever.  I don't know about what soil to use, but mine are in big plastic boxes, with garden soil on the bottom and multi-purpose on top.

I keep looking and looking, but they never seem to get any bigger, then I say blow it and ignore them for a while

Then they seem to take off.  I've had some lovely sized spring onions, the the other day when I was sorting out my leeks, which still look like sewing needles, I had 2 small pots, one of which had my first sown leeks in, which only amounted to about 6, and the other pot I'd stuck a few spring onion seeds in. 

I looked at the first pot and though funny, these look like tiny spring onions so the other pot must be the leeks.  Well they weren't leeks, the 2nd pot was the few spring onions, and when I tipped the compost out, the pot was full of BIG spring onions, they must have been in since March!

And BOY were they hot!   Very nice though.

Perhaps you are trying too hard Hubballi?  My best crops seem to be the ones I forget about apart from watering them and the occasional weeding!

[hubballi]

Well if its any help I have had equally poor growth on my spring onions in soil and compost, but at the the other end of the same raised bed had great garlic.

But on the other hand if I ask for help and people offer suggestions I am grateful and dont ridicule the advice given.
After all one brand of compost is vastly different from another, one garden is sunnier than another etc etc
Why bother asking for advice if you then are going to ignore it, or try to play one persons advice off against another. 

I'm not "playing" people's advice, just questioning which is the right way. If you get conflicting answers what are you meant to do ?

[mumofstig]

In gardening there is no guaranteed 'right way' - what works for one person, may not work for some one else, or for you.

You find out from experience what works for you - at the moment nothing seems to work for you, so you have to look at whay could be wrong with your own method, and try a different way.

You may not succeed straight away, but let's face it - if things are as bad as you say, then it can't get worse can it?

[hubballi]

What could I be doing wrong potting on spring onions into new compost ?

[Aunt Sally]

Post a close up picture of them and also a picture of their pot in the location in the garden,

[Growster...]

What could I be doing wrong potting on spring onions into new compost ?

They may not grow there?

[hubballi]

I pulled them and some had quite round bulbs BUT the stems were very very thin and about to go wispy and die. Again, no reason for this. Some stems have just gone very thin at the bottom to the point of falling over and whithering. These have been growing for 6 months so it just doesn't make sense they should take this long to develop, and in some cases decide to give up and die. They were NOT over watered as suspected here and kept in good compost.

[gazza975526570]

never grown them in compost - sown directly in the soil, marked a line where they are and kept weed free an inch or two either side of this line and removing any definite weeds within this line.

Water them when seed initially sown and just leave them works for me. I used to put chiken pellets down however last two sowing i havent bothered and they seem equally as good. Since sown never watered or fed at all

[Growster...]

I reckon you've got the same sort of springs that most people have this year Hubbali!

They've had a rotten year to develop as they should, it's not your fault, but expect that if you were an onion seed, trying to get over the silliest warm weather in March, the wettest April, May and June on record, and now the dryest August and September since - well - a few years ago at least, it's not surprising that you'd say' 'Oh buqqer this, I'm going to sulk and not grow'!

Tell us what has grown well - did you do well with spuds, or courgettes, or anything else?

I like to listen to a success story now and again, because I've been blighted on all my winter tomato puree, which is a problem for me, as I'll have to go to Twongos for my pasta sauce now!

[angelavdavis]

I pulled them and some had quite round bulbs BUT the stems were very very thin and about to go wispy and die. Again, no reason for this. Some stems have just gone very thin at the bottom to the point of falling over and whithering. These have been growing for 6 months so it just doesn't make sense they should take this long to develop, and in some cases decide to give up and die. They were NOT over watered as suspected here and kept in good compost.

My last sowing were exactly the same Hubballi.  It must be the conditions, because I grew them in the soil and had a great crop from the same seed packet earlier in the year.