Red Onion Question

[dasantillo]

I wasn't sure if this belonged in the 'New Shoots' section or here, so thought I'd try here for some variety :-)

I grew several red onions from seed this year, the ones planted early have been harvested and eaten - they were an OK size but I think the wet weather affected them. I have several I planted later which are smaller - are these going to be onion sets for next year? Should I pick them, store them and replant next year in the next rotation bed or just eat them small? Thanks!

[pigletwillie]

I would eat them small.

Onions sets are grown from seed and then halted when they are very small. If you replant them they will grow into onions, however if you lift them again (as you have ) and then replant for a second time they will just go to seed as onions are bi-annual.

[Snadger]

If only a small amount I would lift and pickle half of them and dry off and reset tuther half in the spring as a trial!
If per chance you spot any running to seed from a spring planting you could always lift them quickly and use them as rather novel red spring onions!

Ps Welcome to the vine Dasantillo btw!

[rustylady]

Eat them, if you re-plant they will just run to seed. Onion sets you buy have been heat-treated to make sure (well nearly) that they produce good sized onions and don't go to seed.

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Desantillo. I would eat the onions. In my experience they are a pain to grow from seed , but very easy from sets which you can buy. This year I planted my red onions from sets. They grew wonderfully well and I used them from baby size in salads while I was waiting for the spring onions to get ready.

[dasantillo]

It looks like it's best to eat them then :-) Thanks for the replies everyone, much appreciated.

In my experience they are a pain to grow from seed , but very easy from sets which you can buy.

Alice, I was surprised at our near 100% germination rate of the seeds having read they are difficult to grow from seed. We grew them in pots in the dining room and then transplanted into the bed when warm enough and they grew quite well considering the summer we had. I take it with onion sets, from each onion planted you get one onion, unlike shallots?