[BENTON1704]

hi,
i have grown some kelsae onions for the first time this year, really enjoyed them, had quite a few just under a kilo (not huge but still satisfying to grow), does anyone now where is the best place to purchase the seed from for these and mammoth onions?

[DD.]

Moles seeds do them at £2.95 for a pack of 120.  The more packs you get, the cheaper it is, pro rata.

Postage is free. They are usually quite hard to beat for price.

http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/acatalog/Products_Kelsae_4348.html

[philskin]

this is my little one holding my 2 biggest so far 

 

  kelsea             and mamoth

[pushrod]

I grew kelsae as well this year - good until caterpillars ( or possibly slugs ) got them while i was on holiday   they ended  up at 3 to 4lb each. Regarding mammoth seed my local wyevale gets them in at springtime which really seems a bit pointless for the onion seed as you should be planting them in dec/jan time . You might have more luck contacting THEM direct.

[philskin]

i forgot to say i got mine of an american company and to be honest out of 20 seeds only 5 germed so lesson learnt by me and they were expensive ,i will ask a chap in the next village he grows his own seed but i will find out were he bought the original seed or could ask him if he will sell you some of his .he is a friend of medwyns so knows his onions  ha ha ha sorry about that lol

[pushrod]

i forgot to say i got mine of an american company and to be honest out of 20 seeds only 5 germed so lesson learnt by me and they were expensive ,i will ask a chap in the next village he grows his own seed but i will find out were he bought the original seed or could ask him if he will sell you some of his .he is a friend of medwyns so knows his onions  ha ha ha sorry about that lol

Why not try keeping your best onion and letting it run to seed next year - you also get little "pips" in the flower head that get away even quicker than the seed.

[maxie]

I bought two kelsae as plants at a nursery in west cumbria but they got wind battered,then i planted a courgette too close to them so they were poor.
but i am going to have another go next year,i was maybe going to try some of marshalls show onion plants.
Do i need to be growing them in a greenhouse?

[BENTON1704]

These are 2 of mine, around the 2lb mark, great fried!!

[BENTON1704]

i bought mine as plants from mr fothergills, cost me about tenner for 40, but i read you can grow from seed in modules, planting Christmas time, they will really need to be in a greenhouse or coldframe.

[robinaber]

I was in Wilkinsons the other day and I picked up a packet of Johnsons 'The Kelsae' Exhibition Onion seeds for 75% off marked price (complete with free label!). I don't know if all branches of Wilkinsons are selling these seeds but there were selling a lot of packets of seeds all mixed together so you will need to sort through them.
 

[zazen999]

I had a radar set that overwintered last year that was HUGE - and I left it to go to seed but it didn't. It grew 9 baby onions from under the roots; so I waited until it had died back, harvested the babies and put them into modules to regrow on; and have kept the mother onion. This is going back in the soil again soon to try and encourage it to go to seed and give me seeds for next year.

I am saving onions as babies for about 8 different onion types next year; I've got 3 places to grow them so I'm going to have to stagger them or they could cross when they flower.

The mechanics of seed saving eh?

[Goosegirl]

Try Robinsons - home of the mammoth onion - I believe they have just won yet another gold medal.

[agapanthus]

I'm definitely going to be growing onions from seed from now on. I too grew Kelsae and the results have been phenominal!!!! Only grew about 50, just as a trial and they have outgrown the 300 odd sets that I planted last autumn. 

[philskin]

yes i agree seeds seem better and you have a lot more choice

[HilaryG]

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