onions in poly box?

[planthead]

Hi people needing advice again!

sadly with the rain and force 12 winds of the last few weeks I have not had a chance to get my onions sets in the ground , so was looking around and have got 5 poly fish boxes (30inX15in and 7in deep) was thinking of potting the onion sets in and putting them round the house what do you all think? is it to late? and how long do u think they would be happy in there till i would need to replant?

[zazen999]

Well, due to onion white rot I'll be growing a fair amount of my onions in separate containers - I have done it before and it works fine. Make sure you feed them in the spring, and keep them well watered and I'm sure they will be fine. Make sure there are holes in the bottom, they don't like it too wet.

[Snadger]

The final size of the onions well be dictated by the spacing I reckon. 10 to 15 would be the max amount I would plant in each 30X15 inch box.

PS I still have 50 plants that I haven't planted out but will be planting them shortly in a covered cold frame!

[Potstubsdustbins]

I presume you mean the salmon fish boxes that already have drainage built in so that would be OK. At 7" deep they will grow to maturity in those boxes without to much of a problem but you must feed them when they start to grow in the spring.

As to spacing it will depend on the vareity but I grow Red Baron spaced so that they nearly touch when full grown. See below.

I am not sure about keeping them in the house for the full winter period as the warmth may push them on to quick whilst there is a lack of daylight.

Colin

[planthead]

Yes Colin they are salmon boxes they have 4 draining holes at the bottom sides might pop some more in to help keep there feet dry, never worded the first post right meant I will be putting them around the outside of the house not in the house,
will give a few ago then and try diffrent spacing and see whats the results show got loads of boxese so why not! might even plant some of the garlic in and see how they do

[Snadger]

.................................! might even plant some of the garlic in and see how they do

I've got six large 12" buckets planted up with garlic and nestling in the greenhouse for now!

[Potstubsdustbins]

PH my garlic is already in two of my fish boxes.

As you would know they come in a vareity of sizes. A friend of mine has a collection of about twenty. He grows lettuce, spring onions, raddish etc in the smaller ones. Baby leaks, mint, beetroot etc in the next size. In the larger ones its onions, stump rooted carrots and even spring cabbage.

If we don't use them they only go to landfill and of course their free and I just love free.

Colin

[salome2001]

where can you get them??
On that note, does anyone know if councils will give you old recycling boxes? ours is due to change our boxes in the new year when they change contractor.

[Snadger]

I'm presuming that 'fish boxes' are the white polystyrene jobbies?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Snadger yes thats the sort we are talking about. They are used to transport the fish from the processor to the point of sale and as I understand it from my fishmonger are a single use item. Processing plant, fishmonger, landfill, such a bladdy waste. From the largest quoted above and used for transporting whole salmon they go down in size but most are useful for something. They are fairly tough come with drainage and even a lid should you need it.

I get my from my fishmonger, he's just glad to get rid has he has to pay to get shut of them.

Colin

[Currysniffa]

I get my polystyrene fish boxes from a local tropical fish shop, I used them for transporting the my fish in when I had a aquarium but now I use them to sow my leeks in in the new year, I just drop the chap some leeks in when there ready and pick a couple more boxes up for the following year Simples .