Onion sets - Best now or April

[jnkimjones]

Shall I do onion sets this winter or Spring???

[janeyo]

Mine will go in in spring - simply a time issue as am flat out with building works on the house and garden a bit neglected.

janeyo

[Capsid]

Shall I do onion sets this winter or Spring???

Both of course, you can never have enough onions IMO.

[PAULW]

JKJ
Both, we have to grow more overwintering onions because it is very difficult to grow onions after April down here they get struck with a sooty mildew that kills the tops off even when they are dosed with Dithane or copper fungicide.

[SueA]

I'm going to try some autumn planted ones again this year as the summer ones I tried didn't get much bigger than golfballs this year, not sure if it was the weather or the pesky slugs eating the stalks. Also there's less chance of them bolting if grown over the winter. I'd give both a try if you like onions, might be best to put some sort of cloche over them if we get a very cold or wet winter to give some added protection.

[piskieinboots]

I shall also be doing both - I have my wintering reds and whites in now, they are started to sprout little green shoots, it's very heart-warming to see

[shirlthegirl43]

I would be doing both but haven't found a source of sets locally Guess it will be just spring planted for me.

[jackie j]

Shirl if you want I could get some for you and pop them in the post. One place I will be going on friday red and white ones were available at £1.99p each packet for 100. another place i might go to had white ones for £1.19p for 50.

[Lavenderblue]

we are going to do overwintering onions this year along with leeks. We eat many many onions so we want as many as possible.

[kentvegplot]

Will wait until Spring here, previously over-wintered ones have bolted early and therefore they won't keep.

[Demeter]

We're doing both - have planted out some sets and seed-grown ones at our shared patch today, have got more of both to go on the allotment - four varieties altogether!

[jaykay]

If you have the space why not plant autumn sets now? If you plant spring ones as well you can compare which grow best in the conditions at your plot. Also I think autumn planted sets are ready to use before the spring ones.

[BrideXIII]

I would be doing both but haven't found a source of sets locally Guess it will be just spring planted for me.

not sure how many you need, but I have some left over if you want to pm me?
reds and whites.

[Alice]

I have the space so I'm planting some onions and shallots now. I'll plant some more in the spring.

[Snadger]

Autumn planted onion sets compliment spring sown sets as they mature at least a fortnight earlier. They can also be used immature in the spring, relying on the spring grown crop as the storing onions!