Onion Sets

[Squash Muppet]

Hey all

I'm not sure whether you'll think this is cheating or not, but I'm trying onion sets this year. I've never grown my own onions before and wasn't confident enough to try and grow them from seed .

I prepared a bed for them recently - no extra manure, no weeds, no stones etc and I planted the sets today. What do I do now? Do I water them / cover them etc, etc, etc.

Help much appreciated as always.

Blessed be
Squash Muppet

[JennieAtkinson]

I'm sure it is not cheating SM - its all I grow!

I normally water them in a bit if the ground is dry and cover them with some netting and put up a few CDS on string to stop the birds coming and pulling them out. Blackbirds seem to love them! Once they have a few roots, I take the net off and they are fine. I always hoe them regularly at this stage too, so they are not competing with any weeds.

Good luck!

[nick the grief]

I grow both so no it's not cheating at all. Growing from seed can be a real fiddle & if you haven't got the time why try and do it. ALso some varieties you can't get as seed anyway. Enjoy em thats the key

[rustylady]

I grow from sets. After planting, water if you have a dry spell. Keep an eye on them to make sure the birds don't pull them out. You can cover them with netting or fleece until they get going. Good luck

[WiZeR]

Growing onions from seed it a real PITA, I have never had success. So stick with sets, much easier!

[Squash Muppet]

Thanks guys - I don't feel so much of a loser now! Thanks for the advice - I went to the plot today and covered them with netting so none get stolen. Here's hoping anyway!

Happy growing all.

Blessed be
Squash Muppet

[TonyF]

You mean onions have seeds? Only ever grow from sets or those bundles of 50 or more young onions you buy from the markets here for some ridiculously low price.

[Norm]

The problem I found with shoving onion sets in too early in the season was a cold snap once they'd taken root. When the weather warmed and they started to grow again, they all went to seed.

[Flummery]

I too always use sets. Naturally, I have to check each day for the first few weeks, till they've really rooted in, and re-plant the ones the blackbirds have shifted. They think the little grassy bit on the end looks like desirable nesting material. I try to remove this where possible (without damaging the shoot) but I always have to re-plant a few. I've never thought of it as cheating. (Now, nicking someone else's crop - THAT's cheating!)

[Nicos]

The only onions I grow from seed are spring onions!

[pigletwillie]

The bulk of our store onions are from sets with a few varieties that you can only get as seed thrown in. This year all of our red onions are from seed as for the past two years the crops have been poor.

[KayJay]

My first year growing veg -I enjoy growing seeds, but onion seeds? are they too much trouble. I have sown mine in a cold greenhouse and some have sprouted-thin little things. How big should I let then get before transplanting then outside. Is it too late to buy onion sets? Do they just go in the veg patch at this time of year?

[buttercup]

i havent had time to put mine down yet,
we are still trying to find time to build the raise bed they are going in.
is there any thing they really like,
our raised bed have seaweed, spent mushroom compost and normal multi purpose in, will it be ok for onions?

actually is that ok for everything i hadnt though that some things may not like seaweed?

is it also true that onions in raised beds are more productive?
god im full of confused rubbish today very sorry!

too much coffee!
cheers buttercup