[danandgeorgie]

Hi All

I am new on here and this is my first proper post (excluding saying hello on the welcome board).  I have some oinion sets that are described as "overwintering".  They are small and feel a bit soft to me.  Is too late to use them?

Thanks

Dan

[Nikkithefoot]

I would say if you have the space and the ground is prepared you have nothing to loose by planting them. It is a tad late to be planting them, however I was late last year it being 8th Dec before mine went in, but they still went on to give a reasonable crop of onions if rather small. However given the weather, the state of the ground they my just turn up their roots and die. They certainly have more chance in the ground than out of it as far as I'm concerned.

[Kleftiwallah]

I would 'obtain' a load of coffee cups from a vending machine, burn a hole in the bottom (soldering iron), and pop them in there with some good compost.  Leave them outside but have a piece of plastic handy to cover them should the weather turn worserer.  Cheers,   Tony.

[Paul Plots]

Not a bad suggestion at all Kleftiwallah. Planting them in a seed tray might be easier if they are not too soft... I'd then plonk them in an unheated greehouse or cold-frame to help them get started.

Single cells or small pots would prevent root disturance later... uses quite a bit of compost if the pots are too big.

When the weather warms up split them up and plonk them on the plot.

If the onion sets are already too soft - can be squished flat with your fingers then... add them to the compost bin and save yourself extra work for nothing.   

[Salmo]

It is late to plant, the soil is cold, the sets are small and soft.

Cut your losses, bin those sets and buy some good quality set for planting in the Spring. They will keep better than Autumn ones anyway.

[Kleftiwallah]

Oh come on salmo.   .  . try and get somthing from what you have, rather than throw it =away and try for something that may be no better.   Cheers,   Tony.

[danandgeorgie]

Thanks for the help folk.  I think I will stick them in some cups/pots in the greenhouse and try them but I will also get some for the spring.

Best wishes

Dan

[Trikidiki]

Oh come on salmo.   .  . try and get somthing from what you have, rather than throw it =away and try for something that may be no better.   Cheers,   Tony.

Quite agree.

If nothing else put the whole lot fairly close together in a large container. When they shoot you can cut the tops and use them like chives. Nothing really lost if they don't work.

I just received an order of a few bits from Marshalls and they threw in a bag of red overwintering sets (can't remember the variety). I'm going to put them in cells and plant them out in the spring. Anything that I get from them, even if they're the size of spring onons is free. If they don't come to anything much they should add a bit more bulk to the heap than just the sets.

[danandgeorgie]

I made a few paper pots and stuck them in the greenhouse.  They have all bar one come up lovely and I have moved them to the veg plot to join the new sets I bought.  Nice result