[signum]

I have some delicious shop bought onions that are so good I want to use them to 'grow my own' from them nut need a little help in doing so.

I tried this last year and left an onion to eventually sprout. I rested this shallowly into a pot of compost and kept watering and the sprouts eventually died back.

On throwing out however, whilst the original onion was slimey, I noticed that I had three small shallot sized onions growing. I cleaned them up and planted in compost nbut they died.

I wish to repeat this methode but something tells me that perhaps Ishould have dried out the three small onions and then planted out after a period of time.

I have more purchased onions ready for repeating the experiment - can anyone advise how I can propogate a shop bought onion properly please - thanks

[Snoop]

At the risk of stating the obvious, have you tried to find out what kind of onions they are and seeing if you can buy seed and grow from that?

[signum]

yes indeed and sadly these are not available in either seed or set form hence the attempt at growing from the 'finished product' (and hopefully 'ad infinitum' !)

[Aunt Sally]

What are they called signum ?

[Salmo]

Some varieties are called different names in different countries and even by different companies. It sometimes says the vatiety and name of the farmer on the packaging. If it is one of the larger supermarkets they will probably know if you can tell them the numbers on the packaging.

[AnnieB]

Please supply the name that you have.
May be a bit of a simple thought but there must be seeds somewhere or else they couldn't have been grown for you to buy them.

[signum]

These are  Vidalia Sweet Onions, Packed and shipped by Ray Farms Inc in Glenville, Georgia, USA.  The onion name is a 'protected' one similar to the 'Stilton' Cheese and 'Melton Mowbray' Pork Pie restrictions we have in this country.  As I understand it, only the State of Georgia is allowed to grow these particular onions - hence the unavailability of seeds etc. and my attempt to try and culitvate successfully from the end product in my possession.  Incidentally, these really are nice and tasty and so mild and can be eaten almost like biting into an apple !!

[Irene]

Aha...that makes sense. The same as "Walla Walla Sweets" in the states.

This should make some interesting exploring...or I'll be watching the thread hoping to learn how you use store onions as "seed".

[Irene]

Signum:

When in the States we used to wait for the Walla Walla Sweets to come through and travel to buy huge bags of them. Wonderful things!

I did find a Suprasweet onion at T & M that may be of use to you...or not.

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/group/onion.html?er=google;term=onion+seed&gclid=CMSvksLO96ECFVWY2Aod0nplDw

[Paul Plots]

I haven't a clue whether this would work or not signum but if you can manage to get one of your shop-bought onions to take root try to keep it growing by not over-watering - wait for it to set-flower / "go to seed" then tie a paper bag over the flower and wait. You might just be lucky enough to harvest some seed later in the autumn to grow the following year.

BUT... if it were me I'd search for an onion with similar qualities, buy either seed or sets and know that there really should be a good chance of growing something suited to UK climate (free from possible disease) and more likely to give me a satisfactory crop.

Just a thought 

[signum]

Thanks for the suggestion - are we talking about waiting for the present stock to sprout and then plant, or shallow plant now in the hope this will grow ?  I think my original attempt perhaps failed as watered regularly hence the rotting of the original onion (and not allowing the 'off-spring' to dry out.

[AnnieB]

So far:
A Vidalia onion is a Granex Onion grown in the Vidalia region of Georgia. They are sweet not because of the onion itself but because the Vidalia region has a soil that is low in sulpher. Sulpher is what gives an onion its taste - makes your eyes water etc.

So if you got hold of Vidalia onion seed it is doubtful that it would produce a "Vidalia Sweet Onion" in your soil.

Dug this off of:
http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/vidaliaonion.htm

About Vidalia Onions

Vidalia Onions are the rage! These very large and sweet onions, are popular for Bloomin' Onions and many other onions recipes. But, what kind of onions are they.......really!? 

Vidalia onions are more about where they are grown, versus the variety of onion.

Vidalia onions are defined as a sweet onion that is grown in Georgia. They originated in Vidalia, Georgia. It was first grown by a farmer named Mose Coleman in 1931. At that time, sweet onions were not well known, or popular. The Vidalia onion gained much of its sweetness, largely due the lack of sulphur in the soil in the Vidalia area. Sulphur is what gives onions their pungent flavor.

Vidalia onions are trademarked. You can not buy Vidalia seed, grow it in your area, and call them Vidalia onions. State and federal legislation defines only certain counties of Georgia, as producers of Vidalia Onions.

Vidalia onions come from short day, Granex type onion seeds. These include Yellow Granex, Texas Grano and other Granex varieties. These seed varieties are readily available. 

The combination of granex onion seeds, low sulphur soil and being grown in the Vidalia, Georgia area  is what qualifies an onion to be a Vidalia onion.

~~~~~~
Should be able to get hold of Granex or Granex Yellow Onion seed, then possibly grow in a raised bed with a soil/compost of something low in sulpher. Think sulpher makes soil acidic so low acidity (could easily have that wrong).

Quick search for:  Vidalia "onion seed"  turns up quite a few suppliers of onions but oddly all seem not to mention seed. One site (forget which) had a list of suppliers that shipped to the UK, 4 or 5 had web sites so if you locate the site a email to them may be useful.

[Paul Plots]

Nice info AnnieB! 

I certainly think there'd be more success searching for, selecting and growing from bought seed from a seed merchant. After all it could take two years or more to find out that growing from shop-bought onion generated seed didn't work.  :blink:

[Sharonx]

Hi Signum,
Where are you purchasing these onions from? And how are you using them in your cooking?