Onions from seed - 2019

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New shoot

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Onions from seed - 2019
« on: December 26, 2018, 16:35 »
Mine have gone in today in pots on the kitchen windowsill. Usually I sow in small seed trays, but I think the deeper root run may be better.  Worth a try anyway and I have two pots full, so I might experiment with early transplanting into modules for one and leaving them a bit to grow on for the other.

This year I have Ailsa Craig, having spent a fair bit of the summer casting envious eyes on one of my plot neighbour's crop.  He reckons they keep better than Globo as well  :)

You need a cool, bright, frost-free place to nurture the seedlings, so early sowing is not for everyone, but as a dark days of winter mood boost, I would recommend you have a go if you can.  I make do with a windowsill in a cool room and then a blowaway mini greenhouse inside an unheated greenhouse, so nothing too special required.

Warning - onion seedlings are slow growing and take ages to get going.  This is a pastime for seedaholics and those with patience.  The upside is you (usually) grow bigger, better onions that those from sets and get much more choice of types to grow.  The last two years have not been great growing seasons, but I have had a crop of some description, while onion sets planted on the plots around me either bolted or withered to nothing.

The thread from last year is here for reference. 

Onions from seed - 2018 in Grow Your Own - Page 1 of 9

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jaydig

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2018, 17:44 »
I always do mine in pots, making sure there's plenty of space between seeds. I don't need to transplant them, and simply knock the whole lot out of the pot at planting time, then just tease them apart.  It always seems to work well and saves a job at the same time.

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rowlandwells

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2018, 16:41 »
had good germination results from autumn sowings however I have some spring sowings to do have Globo   Hybound and some other varieties but I think It mite be a bit early to sow the seed in a cold greenhouse although I have got a heated  propagator


Q. what's the lastest date one could sow onon seed to get a decent buld onions say  the end of Feb/March when things start to warm up in the greenhouse

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sunshineband

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2018, 17:53 »
I sowed some Globos in very deep trays a few weeks back. They were up in ten days but yes, they do grow painfully slowly at this stage. I went for an earlier sowing in the hope that a longer growing season before mid-Summer "bulbing up" time might mean big big onions  :lol: :lol:

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Mr Dog

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2018, 18:44 »
My seeds are at the ready - just need to get some compost warm. 2019 varieties are: Golden Bear, Giant (a re-selected Kelsae strain I suspect), Exhibition and Red Baron.

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Plot 1 Problems

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2018, 22:53 »
Planning to sow next week, compost warming at home now.

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Aidy

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2019, 22:21 »
Planning on sowing mine after the kings have done their visit then I can get the grow tent down and start 2019 off.
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Mr Dog

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2019, 16:36 »
Seeds sown: Golden Bear, Zebrune (from an old packet dated 2014 I found lurking so will be interesting to see how viable the seeds are), Exhibition, Giant, Russian Giant (5 seeds given to me a by a neighbouring plot holder) and Red Baron.

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AnneB

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2019, 19:52 »
Those growing in pots rather than seed trays or cells, what size pots do you use to get them going?

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New shoot

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2019, 20:03 »
I've got 2 1L pots on the go (that's a 5" pot in old money).

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Twood

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2019, 16:40 »
Hi
has anyone tried multi sowing their onions???
This is my first year growing again and I'm about to put the onion seeds in something-I appear to be late in comparison to the seasoned growers out there.

I was just going to sow in modules 1 seed per module and then plant out when they got bigger but I read on Mr No digs website about multi sowing and wondered if any one had tried it. Perhaps I should have made this a new topic??
Happy Gardening May your plot be abundant in veg and free from slugs ! :)

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Veg Plot 1B

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2019, 18:08 »
Multi sowed some Ailsa Craig today, never grown from seed before.

If you are growing in module then not to late.

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AussieInFrance

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2019, 22:06 »
Multi sowing onions works well although it usually results in smaller onions. Depending on the quantity of onions you use, the smaller onion may suit.
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Twood

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2019, 07:25 »
Thanks for the replies
Heartening to know its not too late
AussieinFrance I might give both methods a go and see what I get this year
Two

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New shoot

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Re: Onions from seed - 2019
« Reply #14 on: February 15, 2019, 11:26 »
Heartening to know its not too late

Not too late at all.  It is just some of us like to start early ones off in the hopes of growing giant onions and to be honest, because we just need to play with seeds in the dark winter months  ;)

I've used muti-sowing in modules a fair bit.  As AussiaInFrance says, you just get slightly smaller veg, but I think overall at least as much weight of harvest for the space used.  Onions are good, but I always do beetroot that way as well, plus have tried spring onions, baby leeks and turnips with great success  :)

It would be a good idea to do both and see what you get.  Us nosy lot will be interested as well  :)



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