[SG6]

Last year the onions crop, grown from seed, was a waste of time. everything was small. Many/most too small to be useable.

Wondering if I can start off about 30 seeds in a propagator indoors now for planting out next year.

Any thoughts?

[Kleftiwallah]

Traditionally, onion seeds are planted just prior to sitting down for your Christmas dinner.      Cheers,    Tony.

[JayG]

When did you plant them out SG6 and what stage were they at when you did?

First-time effort this year for me; sown in Feb in a cold greenhouse, then lost many (probably over-watered), the remainder were planted out in April still looking like rather feeble leek seedlings. They then just sat there for the best part of 3 months before really getting going.

Got some quite good onions in the end (only been dug up a week!) so I can only assume that this year at least the outdoor conditions weren't to their liking, although for that reason I don't think that starting them any earlier would have made much difference.

[Babstreefern]

I always start mine off between Christmas and New Year.  Have never used a propagator.  I have 4 trays - 2 x red mammoths and 2 x mammoth whites (can't remember the name of the whites) - but I buy my seeds from Robinsons, its also where I buy mammoth leeks.

Anyway, I start my onions between Christmas and NY, in the conservatory - they get plenty of light and some heat, but not too hot - barely warm actually.

Then in March/April, I move them to the greenhouse for a few weeks, then into the coldframe and then in late May, they go outside

[Trillium]

I do pretty much as Babs does, except I don't have a conservatory. Mine just stay in a quiet corner of the sitting room where its about 62F. The seedlings can still grow slowly and develop good roots.

Once they're planted out, water weekly with a chicken manure/water solution.

[Lady Rosemary]

I can't wait to try growing onions from seed.  They should be well established before I plant them out and hopefully stop those darn pigeons from pulling them up! Exciting times ahead.