Was it too late to plant onion sets last week ?

wbmkk · « **on:** May 28, 2019, 17:03 »

last Saturday I was in the allotment shop buying netting and saw they were selling bags of onion sets at 25p a bag. (Stuttgarter)

I asked whether or not it was a bit too late, but was told it was OK. Although I put onions in a couple of months ago I decided to get two more bags, which I then planted last Sunday (May 19th) Having just got my allotment this year I really just want it used up while I get it how I really want it, say by next year.

This afternoon, one of the 'old boys' from the allotment said they wouldn't come to anything. he's had his allotment for almost 50 years, so obviously 'knows his onions' he suggested I could maybe make use of the space for something else

Should i remove the onions ?

jambop · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2019, 08:03 »

It really depends on the weather over the summer. For example if there had been a really cold the sets would have made scant progress between say early April and mid May. If however you are planting into nice warm soil and then get a good late spring and then a good summer I think you should be able to grow some nice onions. I live in France so things may be different for me BUT the best onions I have ever grown went in in the third week in May. I got amazing onions, from transplants not sets, but we had an amazing late spring and summer the onions were huge... bit too big in fact and they kept superbly. So you just never know you may be lucky. As to old gardeners ... some of them are full of manure and very set in their ways!

mumofstig · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2019, 09:32 »

They're in, I'd leave them

Unless we get a total washout of a Summer and Autumn they'll do ok, just be a bit later to harvest than normal. Good luck!

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2019, 11:36 »

Onions first form leaves then, depending upon the variety and day length they start to form bulbs. The type of onions we grow (long-day onions) will stop forming leaves and begin forming bulbs when the day length reaches 14 to 16 hours.

This means that if planted now they have less time to produce good top growth before the bulbs start to swell. You will probably get small bulbs.

Having said this you would get no bulbs if you didn't plant them

I like small bulbs that can be popped into a winter casserole or cooked whole with a Sunday roast

wbmkk · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2019, 16:54 »

Quote from: mumofstig on May 31, 2019, 09:32

They're in, I'd leave them

That's what I've decided

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Was it too late to plant onion sets last week ?

wbmkk

Was it too late to plant onion sets last week ?

jambop

Re: Was it too late to plant onion sets last week ?

mumofstig

Re: Was it too late to plant onion sets last week ?

Aunt Sally

Re: Was it too late to plant onion sets last week ?

wbmkk

Re: Was it too late to plant onion sets last week ?

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