[pushrod]

I've never grown Kelsae onions but I'd like to try. Do they keep well?  Thanks.

As long as they have been dried off properly and not bolted.

[Steve.B]

Never grown Onion from seed! only sets, any good/bad points over each?

[philskin]

Never grown Onion from seed! only sets, any good/bad points over each?

  this was my 1st year growing from seed and the results have been really good ,the advice i got was gentle handling at the crook stage and not to check them early on

[pushrod]

Never grown Onion from seed! only sets, any good/bad points over each?

  this was my 1st year growing from seed and the results have been really good ,the advice i got was gentle handling at the crook stage and not to check them early on

you will get much bigger onions if you use  a seed type like bedfordshire champion or kelsae etc than you would with a set. The key is in the soil preparation and now is the time to do it. Dig a trench and put a generous helping of bonemeal in  (6oz per sq yard) then stick any green material/weeds/cuttings that you have in (this will hold moisture  for the roots next summer). Then put any well rotted compost in and then recover it with the soil. It will settle over the next few months. Mark the position of it ! Plant your seeds late dec/early jan, grow them on in individual pots (drinks cups), plant them out  about april, try and give some wind protection and you will get onions at least over 3lb each 

[maxie]

Good advice there pushrod does it need to be a heated greenhouse?

[Babstreefern]

I got my leeks and onions from Robinson = http://www.mammothonion.co.uk/shop/2/index.htm

I've just harvested my onions (both red and white) and were a very good size, and my leeks are coming on very well as well - will be on the big side by Christmas.  I'll be doing them again next year.  I always plant my onion seeds between Christmas and New Year.

[pushrod]

Good advice there pushrod does it need to be a heated greenhouse?

Seeds need about 15 celcius to germinate ( i use a cheap little electric propagator just for the first 2 to 3 weeks and then switch it off) but after that no heat is fine. If you want to grow mega big specimens obviously heat will help but certainly not essential.

 I have given up trying to heat my green house in winter - too costly lol

[vegmandan]

You can't beat Mr Fothergills Kelsae Plants.
£6.00 for 40+
Just bung 'em in and watch 'em grow.



P.S..... A polytunnel helps if you want to grow a giant one.

 

[maxie]

Thats a good size for pickling vegmadman,what do you do with the big uns   They are some size them,bet youre eyes water chopping them beasts up.
Has anyone tried marshalls showmaster as i usually buy my seeds from them so it would make sense postage wise to try them.

[Babstreefern]

I sow virtually everything from seed and have them growing in my conservatory .  The window sills, table and even the floor gets used :happy:.  Even use the landing window as it faces south .  Everything grows .  I look forward to May because by then everything has been transplanted into the ground and I can have the conservatory back to normal.

[loam ranger]

Ive been to Easington Colliery, County Durham ,leek show tonight, The winner of the heaviest onion was 16lb it was huge! the second was 14lb third was 10lb.
Geoff

[philskin]

dont suppose youve got any pics of them loam ranger   

[zazen999]

Never grown Onion from seed! only sets, any good/bad points over each?

  this was my 1st year growing from seed and the results have been really good ,the advice i got was gentle handling at the crook stage and not to check them early on

I don't touch them at the crook stage; I leave them until they are about the size you'd normally start moving leeks about - a few inches tall and about 2mm wide. Then they get transplanted out.

I find that if I move them at crook stage they just don't like it.

[Steve.B]

Whats the 'crook' stage? sorry!

[pushrod]

Whats the 'crook' stage? sorry!

when the seeds germinate they break through the soil looped over and don't straighten for a few days after that. If you plant them in a seed tray (for space purposes) many people will say this is the best time to transplant them to pots.