[hubballi]

I have some Japanese onions left over from Autumn. I have just planted them in trays. Will they still grow or is it too late ? Seems a shame to waste them.

Also, last year I had onion fly in seed grown AND sets. It is supposed to be a well known fact that sets don't get the fly. Mine did. They were full of the maggots, even the ones in pots. How can I avoid my Japanese and normal onions getting it again this year ?

Thanks.

[DD.]

These "well known facts" have yet to reach my ears. Onion fly can attack any and all of the allium family. In sets it's less likely, but that does NOT mean it won't attack them. A world of difference.

I'm not sure where your "facts" are coming from, but you'd be well advised not to listen to them. Maybe they are the root of all your gardening problems. There has surely to be a common denominator!

Fleecing is about the only way to prevent them, as per John's article:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/onion-shallot/onion-problem-disease.php

[Aidy]

You will get fly as DD says and you have had, one the reasons you may miss them is they are generally pulled before the fly hatch and tunnel in.

[Salmo]

Some attacks of onion fly are in fact bean seed fly.

http://www.which.co.uk/documents/pdf/bean-seed-flies-151468.pdf

[hubballi]

So is it ok to plant the Japanese onions now ?

[DD.]

You'll get something, but don't expect too much.

I was very late late year due to one thing and another and they didn't make it until March. Might as well not have bothered, but you've got a few weeks extra.

If space is an issue and I were you, I'd wait and just do the spring planted sets.

[VegGirl7]

I have some Japanese onions left over from Autumn. I have just planted them in trays. Will they still grow or is it too late ? Seems a shame to waste them.

Also, last year I had onion fly in seed grown AND sets. It is supposed to be a well known fact that sets don't get the fly. Mine did. They were full of the maggots, even the ones in pots. How can I avoid my Japanese and normal onions getting it again this year ?

Thanks.

thanks hubballi - I was going to ask the same question - I might give a few a go and see what happens