[shokkyy]

At the end of last year I bought some onion sets online (Hercules). As per instructions, I unpacked them and spread them out in a cool light place (spare bedroom). When I looked at them today, quite a few of them have kind of collapsed so I guess they're dead. What causes this? Or is it just a bad idea to buy them so far in advance?

[randombod]

Sounds like old age to me - never buy sets untill your close to putting them in is my experience... i havent got any yet as it will be march be for i get to work the lott due to the bad weather and i will buy seed spuds and onion sets in feb and the back end of to be honest

[DD.]

Yes, bought too early by the sounds of it, and there's cool - and there's cool.

Unless that bedroom is very cold, relatively speaking, it would seem warm to onion sets. A couple of degrees above freezing is all that's required.

[zazen999]

Sounds like old autumn sets that didn't get sold; as soon as you get onion sets they need to go in somewhere, even if it is modules to get the roots started off.

[DD.]

Hercules are a spring planted one. I've just bought some.

[shokkyy]

Hercules are a spring planted one. I've just bought some.

I was a bit concerned that they delivered the sets so early, but I put it on the same order with a fruit tree that I needed to plant late autumn/early winter and I didn't think they'd actually deliver the onion sets so early. Doesn't seem very sensible for spring planted sets, does it. Glad I didn't order the seed potatoes from them too.

[zazen999]

Hercules are a spring planted one. I've just bought some.

Sorry, didn't see that bit!

[DD.]

Speed reading - I do it all the time!

[Elcie]

Hercules are a spring planted one. I've just bought some.

Where are you keeping these cool DD?  And when do you plan to plant them?

[shokkyy]

Yes, bought too early by the sounds of it, and there's cool - and there's cool.

Unless that bedroom is very cold, relatively speaking, it would seem warm to onion sets. A couple of degrees above freezing is all that's required.

The radiator in the room is completely turned off. Is that cold enough? I don't have a frost free greenhouse so if I put them anywhere outside they'll get hit by the frosts. How do you store?

[zazen999]

Can you not get a seed tray, fill it with compost and plant them shoulder to shoulder to get the roots growing. They can stay indoors if you have no greenhouse/coldframe.

Be a waste otherwise.

[shokkyy]

Can you not get a seed tray, fill it with compost and plant them shoulder to shoulder to get the roots growing. They can stay indoors if you have no greenhouse/coldframe.

Be a waste otherwise.

I haven't bought compost yet, but I'll do that as soon as I can and try that. I only noticed what had happened today, sadly, otherwise I could have done something sooner. Pity I can't stick them out in the garden yet. If I put them in a seed try, is it best to add water to the compost or not? Compost from a newly opened bag always has a bit of moisture in it.

I do have a greenhouse but it's very old and rickety and has a couple of panes of glass missing, so is effectively outdoors. I'm not really sure how many of them will be viable now. I picked out the ones that obviously collapsed on squeezing, but one or two of the others have some black spots on them too. Is it best to just chuck everything that doesn't look clean and feel firm?

[DD.]

Hercules are a spring planted one. I've just bought some.

Where are you keeping these cool DD?  And when do you plan to plant them?

Mine are in the unheated greenhouse, if it gets too cold, I can whip them into the warmer one.

Went out on 25th March last year, but depends on the weather, if it's too cold & wet, I'll wait.