[simonwatson]

I grew my onions from seed, started them off in modules in the greenhouse. When they had about two leaves I moved them outside (still in modules), then to the plot.

I didn't harden them off at all and the shock seems to have stopped them growing altogether. They are the same size now as 6 weeks ago.

Has anyone tried/needed to grow onions now and had any success at all or will I just end up growing individual spring onions?

[Goosegirl]

I'm not sure, but methinks it is not just hardening them off properly, but mainly a nutrient deficiency. By now, they will have used up whatever nutrients there were in the compost as they germinated and, as there is probably not a lot of compost per seedling in a module (what size are they and what day and night temps have you had?) I would give them a watering with a foliar feed. Give it a week or so, plant them out, and water in with the same liquid feed to give them a boost. 

[simonwatson]

Sorry, I didn't make it very clear. I planted them out six weeks ago, having moved them from the greenhouse a week or two before.

[RaptorUK]

Sorry, I didn't make it very clear. I planted them out six weeks ago, having moved them from the greenhouse a week or two before.

Are you certain they haven't changed in 6 weeks ?  did you take pictures ?  when you move them they will take some time to expand their root system and then start growing new leaves . . . eventually the bulb will start to swell.

[Totty]

Quite often, with onions and leeks that have been module grown, the roots will wrap quite tightly around the inside of the module. If you give the roots a really good pull apart before planting, they will establish far quicker than by just planting them straight out.
If the roots are wrapped up tight in a module shape, they could struggle to get going at all, when they should really be putting good growth on now.

Totty

[shoozie]

The first time I grew onions from seed I too thought I was facing a spectacular failure .... I had little 'weedlings' in comparison to sets at this time of year (still do!).  They took off like rockets when the time was right, so don't despair and don't give up on them.  A weekly feed will do no harm. 

[simonwatson]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will give them a feed and cross fingers. I haven't taken pictures, but most of them are still at the stage of only having two leaves, the longest about 3 inches.

[georget]

Hi Simon what do you feed them with and what doyou all feed leeks ive never bothered feeding mine

[simonwatson]

I tend to use a bit of Growmore on anything and everything.

[Goosegirl]

I use a dilute liquid feed a week or so before they have their first pot-on, then they get another late June before they get planted out in July. When planting out, I use blood, fish and bone scattered and mixed into the soil a week before. This year, I may use a few chicken manure pellets as well just after planting, but nothing else after that.