Onion sets - spacing

[seniab]

Hi all,

First year with my Lottie and I may have been slightly over-enthusiastic when ordering my onion sets - 1kg each of Sturon and Red Baron. I've planted 500g of each in 4-foot beds, according to the spacings given in most of the books (4 inches between sets, rows 12 inches apart). My problem is that I simply don't have the space to put the other kilo of sets in, so I was wondering:

Given that I'm planting in 4-foot beds, rather than in a more traditional manner with rows of crops with room to walk between to weed/mulch etc, can i reduce the distance between rows? As I can easily reach the centre of the bed to weed, can I put an additional row of onions in-between the rows I have just planted? That would give me 6 inches between rows, and 4 inches between sets.

If I try this, what is likely to be the impact upon the crop in terms of size/quality and the like? Will I need to apply a fertiliser if the crop is closer together? I'm trying to go organic so that would be a concern.

Many thanks for any advice/help, clearing the plot of 10-years growth has proved the easy part compared to planting plans/schedules/timings and all that!

Cheers,

Seniab.

[shirlthegirl43]

I am going to plant my onions closer than they say and 'stagger' the rows. It will probably result in smaller onions but I don't want monsters. I expect the experienced growers will be along shortly to tell us why we shouldn't do it

[Paulottie]

Raised beds have no compaction and lots of regular additions of compost etc. They reach very high fertility and the crops are generally planted 1/2 the distances of trad rows. You will get lots of very good kitchen sized onions it is not a show bench excercise(you need space for monsters).

Always give a good sprinkling of blood fish and bone before you set out and again as they start to swell .

I'd aim for three staggered rows in a foot wide. ie 4" all directions.

[smallblueplanet]

Well looking in our 'bible' (Grow your own vegetables) Joy Larkcom reckons on 'for medium-sized onions, space 6" apart each way or grow in rows 10" apart, spacing 2" apart'.....also she says 'surplus sets can be planted very close together, almost touching, and young green leaves cut as spring onion'.

Sorry, missed the 1st line out, got a bit of a bug.

[Paulottie]

Obviously Joy doesn't grow chives then! SBP

I'd reckon that would be easier row spacing if you hoe, I don't trust myself and always hand weed onions!

[moggssue]

I see lots of you are planting out onion sets now - is there any merit in successional sowing here, or do you bung them all out now then dry and store all together?

Would successional sowing help with your space issue seniab?

[Paul Wagland]

I try (and usually fail) to plant in both autumn and spring to get two crops, early and late. This would keep me in onions almost year round, but it's a bit too basic to be termed successional sowing! They store so well that there's not much point in going any further.

I've tried the 2"/10" spacing idea and it didn't work for me - I find it easier to hoe between 6" spaced onions. Otherwise you kill all the weeds between the rows, but none of the ones in the 2" gap between the sets - does that make sense?

[mapcr77]

I too have that problem: too many onions, not enough room! (can you tell I'm a newbie ) Anyway, if I only plant half of them now, and the rest in autumn, what's the best way to keep the onion sets? Also, can they be put in the beds now, or is it best to wait until after the frosts?

Thanks!

[moggssue]

I was thinking the same mapcr77 - isnt it a bit early to plant the sets out in the open?

And yes Paul, you made perfect sense re weeding!! I would be worried about hacking off the tops of my onions at the same time if they weren't a very good hoes width apart!

[Paul Wagland]

Onions can be quite heavily frosted without damage. The autumn-sown sets are in the ground right through winter after all.

I wouldn't try and keep sets until autumn though - they will almost definitely be rotten by then. Just plant what you can and give the rest away.

[Snadger]

I usually plant whatever sets I have left around the outside of the bed close together and use them as spring onions or pickling onions!

[moggssue]

Cheers guys! Looks like I'll be planting out onion sets at the weekend then - good job I've just dug the bed!

[mapcr77]

Ditto, Moggsue! I've five beds ready and looking forward to actually putting anything in them!

[sewer rat]

I plant my sets on ridges and space alternate ridges at 6" and 8" between sets - no reason other than to hopefully give me a mix of onion sizes - it worked last year I had everything from 200g in weight to 750g in weight. Growing the sets on ridges also makes weeding a lot easier for me - I have 50 kg of sets to plant this year (Sturon and Red Baron) as well as 5kg of shallot sets, so this is important for me.
It is important that the ground is well nourished and that the young sets are kept as free from weeds as possible until they begin to develop as they are not the most competitive plants when small. Once they are growing way, weeds are not a problem to them and you can grow a good crop of onions even when it is hard to spot the onions through the weeds.
Going back to your suggestion on spacing rows at 6" with 4" between sets - the onions should grow no bother but if they are grown that close, I would definitely recommend you feed the ground. Being or trying to be organicshould not present a problem as most garden centres stock organic fertilisers these days - Blood Fish and Bone is just one of many possible types. Good Luck.

[gingerneil]

....organic fertilisers these days - Blood Fish and Bone is just one of many possible types. Good Luck.

Stupid question coming up.... Whenever I see Blood Fish and Bone, it comes as a rough 'powder'. Does it need to be mixed with water or just sprinkling on the surface and then watered to stop it blowing away ?