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I know Zazen999 was going to start a thread on this in the morning, but as mine are going in now I have stolen her thunder.
Today, after a busy morning sorting out the home greenhouse I have sown the following.
Rose de roscoff onion
Red mammoth onion
Red pearl onion
Banana shallot
prisma shallot
Hative de niort shallot (sets)
Redbeard spring onion
White lisbon spring onion.
Jolant leek
Blue de solaise leek
For the springers, I sow a pinch (6 or so seeds) to a module (24 or 40 to a tray), cover and water well. When they are well established the wole clump is planted out 4" between clumps and rows. They are pulled individually as they reach a good size and the rest of the clump left to carry on growing. This method works well as you are only planting out clumps of seedlings, not trusting seeds to germinate and the competition means some grow quicker than others giving you fabulous succession. A second sowing will be undertaken in March.
The onions, leeks and shallot seeds are just sown about 100 seeds to a 4" pot. These are then pricked out into modules when at the crook stage, again either 24 or 40 to a tray and are kept just moist. A few clumps of onion seeds are sown, just like the springers and planted out just the same. These tend to produce smaller onions which are ideal for when you dont need a whole big one.
The hardening off starts in February is the weather permits, for planting out in late march or early April. Any earlier results in lots of bolted onions, especially if you get a cold snap so imatience really is not rewarded with alliums.
My leeks are planted quite differently from each other. The Bleu de solaise are a proper overwintering leek, will take hard weather, but not start to bolt till April or May. They are planted about 6" apart between plants and rows and pulled as required from late autumn. The jolant are a bit soft but make fabulous baby leeks for summer use. They will be planted an inch apart and used when finger thickness. Two sowings of these will be made for succession, the second being in March.
Alliums really dont need, or particullarly like much heat to germinate, 10-20degrees C is ample, propogators tend to produce very leggy, soft seedlings unless you can take them out once germinated. I just leave them in the kitchen on a counter, just as I do everything else I sow and they germinate within the week.
My onion sets will go in around the middle of March, later if the weather is bad. Too early and again the number of bolters increases dramatically, as you can pull onions at any time and use them green, there is no need to be too early.
Today, after a busy morning sorting out the home greenhouse I have sown the following.
Rose de roscoff onion
Red mammoth onion
Red pearl onion
Banana shallot
prisma shallot
Hative de niort shallot (sets)
Redbeard spring onion
White lisbon spring onion.
Jolant leek
Blue de solaise leek
For the springers, I sow a pinch (6 or so seeds) to a module (24 or 40 to a tray), cover and water well. When they are well established the wole clump is planted out 4" between clumps and rows. They are pulled individually as they reach a good size and the rest of the clump left to carry on growing. This method works well as you are only planting out clumps of seedlings, not trusting seeds to germinate and the competition means some grow quicker than others giving you fabulous succession. A second sowing will be undertaken in March.
The onions, leeks and shallot seeds are just sown about 100 seeds to a 4" pot. These are then pricked out into modules when at the crook stage, again either 24 or 40 to a tray and are kept just moist. A few clumps of onion seeds are sown, just like the springers and planted out just the same. These tend to produce smaller onions which are ideal for when you dont need a whole big one.
The hardening off starts in February is the weather permits, for planting out in late march or early April. Any earlier results in lots of bolted onions, especially if you get a cold snap so imatience really is not rewarded with alliums.
My leeks are planted quite differently from each other. The Bleu de solaise are a proper overwintering leek, will take hard weather, but not start to bolt till April or May. They are planted about 6" apart between plants and rows and pulled as required from late autumn. The jolant are a bit soft but make fabulous baby leeks for summer use. They will be planted an inch apart and used when finger thickness. Two sowings of these will be made for succession, the second being in March.
Alliums really dont need, or particullarly like much heat to germinate, 10-20degrees C is ample, propogators tend to produce very leggy, soft seedlings unless you can take them out once germinated. I just leave them in the kitchen on a counter, just as I do everything else I sow and they germinate within the week.
My onion sets will go in around the middle of March, later if the weather is bad. Too early and again the number of bolters increases dramatically, as you can pull onions at any time and use them green, there is no need to be too early.
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