Winter worries - onions, broad beans, peas

[Demeter]

I have the following, which have been sown in module for overwintering but not yet planted out: onions (sown September, still blades of grass), broad beans (sown late October, not yet through) and peas (ditto).

Given that the winter is drawing on, the days are short, I've got a persistent cough that makes digging a pain, and I haven't yet cleared a space for everything to be planted out in...

Can I leave any or all of the above in their modules / rootrainers and plant them out in Spring? If I do so, will I need to feed the soil (esp the onions as they have been in situ for nearly 2 months already) to keep them happy over winter? The concern I've got with the onions particularly is that they are supposed to be the thickness of a pencil (someone in here said) before planting out, and mine are nowhere near and I don't see how they can grow much more in a module with limited space and nutrients?

If I plant them out, can I put any of them (the beans?) in the semi-shaded area at the back of the plot which has already been cleared but will probably get more frost?

Also, on the subject of onions, I planted out onion sets 2 weeks ago and there is no sign of them yet. A few have been pulled out of the soil, by birds I assume, which I have replanted. Do you reckon the rest are under the soil just getting their roots sorted out before they show their heads, or might they have rotted, or might the birds (or mice, we have those too) have eaten the sets rather than just pulling them out of the ground?

Er, that's all. Thank you in advance, I'm sure all I really need is a bit of reassurance!

[BrideXIII]

I am surprised your peas and beans are not showing yet?

as for the onions, in another thread we have been told to leave them where they are in the modules, apparently they don't grow enough in the winter for it to matter! so i shall put mine out in the spring.BTW mine are tall, but not as thick as pencil yet.

as for the peas and beans, if they are not through yet leave them where they are, at least if they DO fail you can replant in the spring anyway.

[Demeter]

I am surprised your peas and beans are not showing yet?

as for the onions, in another thread we have been told to leave them where they are in the modules, apparently they don't grow enough in the winter for it to matter! so i shall put mine out in the spring.BTW mine are tall, but not as thick as pencil yet.

as for the peas and beans, if they are not through yet leave them where they are, at least if they DO fail you can replant in the spring anyway.

In fairness, I only sowed them on Halloween (very late in October lol) and haven't checked them since - I just sort of assumed that they wouldnt be showing yet... might have a look in the next day or two if I get the chance (not really here in daylight hours until weekend though)

My onions are like yours - tall but still very thin.

I guess I will probably leave them all until spring. That's music to my aching body after all todays digging

[lynda66]

the onions i planted in june have probably just got to pencil thick, and the ones i planted in july are about half the size ...... they don't grow overly quick ..... all 3 varieties are the same ...... the horrendous frost last week didn't kill them though ...... my peas from summer are still flowering and producing peas, so haven't planted any winter ones yet, but they seem pretty hardy ...... my beans have all been crap, and i only got 2 plants, that both succumbed to the frost ..... i've been meaning to cover them with fleece, but not got round to it yet ...... not sure if that helps at all?