[Dai]

I bought two bags of onion sets in october red (Electric) and white (Radar) which have been in a bag in my bedroom waiting for their space on the plot.

The problem is, the Radar have started sprouting and the plots no where near ready for planting yet. (my own fault because i shouldnt have been so eager to buy them so early)

I now have to quickly pot them up. (I read that they dont like being in pots but hey ho, you lives and learns dont you)

I understand that its the wrong time of year for sowing and i dont have a greenhouse built yet or a cold frame i could quickly knock up either. and theres too many sets for the pots i have!

So what are your recommendations expert types? any suggestions will be gratefully received.

[Yorkie]

I'd start them off in modules in a seed tray and keep them outdoors.

I've had no problems planting them out from modules in the past.,

[LilacSandy]

I put mine in plastic cups (about £1 for 100 in the cheap shops) they sit happily in my unheated greenhouse till the weather improves.

[DD.]

Just be prepared for them to do not a lot!

I was late with my winter onions one year due to illness and they didn't go in until about this time of year and the crop was very poor.

I've not done them this year, but those who have on our site have really sturdy plants already.

[shoozie]

I read that they dont like being in pots but hey ho, you lives and learns dont you

Onions grow well in pots.

Whether overwinter varieties will do much planted out now - I don't know. 

If you've no space now, get a few builder buckets or similar, few holes drilled, mix a handful of growmore to the compost, and plant the sets very close together (almost touching).  They'll like another feed early summer.  If they take, you can begin eating the first young onions as greens and leave a few to grow on til June.  If they don't come to anything, you've lost nothing.  I'm growing my overwinter onions this way following success of the spare spring sown ones last year.

[Dai]

Well the penny has finally dropped, I didnt realise they were overwintering onions.
of course if i had used my noggin then i would have realised that since they were in the shops at the beginning of winter, then thats when you should plant them. Doh!

I popped up the lotty and found a long planter that i filled with compost and planted the ones that had started sprouting. (I did this straight after posting the question so i didnt see any replies)
but now i think ill plant the others into modules and also try a bit of close planting in a bucket or two.

Thanks for the replies!

[Salmo]

I do not think they will do any good. First, they are Autumn varieties and second the sprouting ones will not thrive and could bolt.

The best advice that I can give is to throw them away and buy some Spring variety sets instead. They should be planted mid-March to mid-April.

The next month or so is the right time to sow onion seed indoors ready for planting out in April.

[Dai]

Thanks for the info.
I already plan to grow some from seed and will also buy some more sets if i can make room in time but i cant bring myself to throw them away. it may be futile but ill still try and get something from them even if its just compost fodder.
although having said that im certainly not going to give them space priority over anything else.

[DD.]

Stick them in somewhere in a small patch of ground close together. You'll get a few salad onions if nothing else and you won't be wasting a lot of space/