The Allium Thread

[kittykat8]

When are people goiung to start sowing their onion seed, I can start at home but the tray will have to sit in the polytunnel, unheated.

[chriscross1966]

When are people goiung to start sowing their onion seed, I can start at home but the tray will have to sit in the polytunnel, unheated.

I'd crack the seeds indoors on a windowsill but then they should be fine in an unheated come the end of february. If you can get any heat at all down there (even one of those little sump heaters just to keep the frost off then they could go straight down there....
I'll be starting my first batch of Kelsaes, Spanish Giant and Russian Standard (probably the biggest out of those three) plus maybe some Sturon, Tropea and Aisla Craig over the Xmas break

chrisc

[sarraceniac]

I've got my Kenshyu sitting outside, but they are over-wintering ones. I have planted doubles of all my maincrop, one tray in a cold greenhouse and one standing outside. Want to see how they go on. They were very nice and healthy until the weather turned but now I can't even see them. The g'house ones look OK though.

[northepaul]

I'd crack the seeds indoors on a windowsill but then they should be fine in an unheated come the end of february. If you can get any heat at all down there (even one of those little sump heaters just to keep the frost off then they could go straight down there....
I'll be starting my first batch of Kelsaes, Spanish Giant and Russian Standard (probably the biggest out of those three) plus maybe some Sturon, Tropea and Aisla Craig over the Xmas break

chrisc

Hi Chris,
I am going to get my onion seeds going shortly, someone else adviced me to not use a heated propagator, but I thought this would be the best way to start them off?
I could either do this, or pop them on a sunny windowsill...

[Bigmallly]

I sowed ailsa craig onion seeds last week on windowsill, they are just starting to show through.

[ken smith]

Unless your onions are for exhibition I can see no advantage in setting them away before February.

[Pies]

Unless your onions are for exhibition I can see no advantage in setting them away before February.

I can it frees up space in the propagator/greenhouse,quite a few things can go in in Feb

[sarraceniac]

I can it frees up space in the propagator/greenhouse,quite a few things can go in in Feb

I came on to make that very point Pies. My glass protection is very busy in early spring.

[Snadger]

I deffo will be sowing my onions earlier this year. Two years ago I sowed all my onions together around Christmas time and had a wonderful crop.

Last year I only set my Kelsae onions at crimbo and the rest which were sown in February/March were pants! I do believe that onions need to put on as much growth as posible early in the year.

I will sow my Golden Bear, Ham onions and Red ham onions as soon as the seed arrives from Hungary, in the propagator.
Once they are germinated & potted on this will free up the propagator for later sowings of Toms and Chilli's!

I have, of course my jap sets in the allotment now and my Japs from seed in the cold greeenhouse.
I will also plant onion sets in the spring as a 'belt and braces' approach!

[smallblueplanet]

Hi northepaul, here's our onion seeds in unheated modules, in our unheated porch, from last c. Jan last year. We let them germinate in the kitchen and then moved the module to the porch.

[northepaul]

Hi northepaul, here's our onion seeds in unheated modules, in our unheated porch, from last c. Jan last year. We let them germinate in the kitchen and then moved the module to the porch.

Cool, thanks Smallblueplanet.

[nick the grief]

Cool, thanks Smallblueplanet.

I usually sow mine Christmas day ( it gets me out of the kitchen and Mrs G's way) and when they are big enough they get potted on into 2.5" pots (usually just after the crook stage) and then again into 4" pots before planting out when the ground is warm enough ( hopefully this year I'll have the benefit of the poly tunnel and can pop some in between the pots of carnations /chrysanths

[smallblueplanet]

Just wondering if I have enough onion seeds Got Long Red Flo, Pale de Niort, Rose de Roscoff & F1 Hytech (a swap). Not sure what the Hytech is like, what 'yellow' onions do you grow NTG?

[gojiberry]

Sowed just over 200 seeds a week or so ago and have at least an 85% germination rate so far. Will leave them another week and then move off the heat. Don't know what sort they are as it is seed given to me by a champion grower. Not looking to compete against him just want a few decent sized onions as I have never achieved a good crop before.

Ian

[hawthorns]

ive sown 40 alisa graig into modules today.placed them on a window sill.