Growing Onions from seed 2021 season

[Sweet savory]

I have been reading through previous recommendations and decided on Alisa Craig for 2021. Filled up the modules and brought inside to warm up the compost a bit before planting. I have a 3 sided box covered with foil to try and make the most of low light levels as FC didn’t bring me any grow lights. No heated prop either so they just germinate when they are ready.
Are Red Baron reliable? Would go 75/25% white/red as that is what we use.

[burnie]

Keep the seed box inside until they have germinated would be my advice, on a radiator if possible. Red Baron germinated well enough, but they didn't grow that well, which might well have been my fault.

[Jungle Jane]

I’m experimenting & recently sown some Red Baron & Holland blood red & put the trays outside with lids for them to germinate when they’re ready,if any grow I’ll be amazed & they’ll be hardy enough to stay out there,I hope they do grow

[.commander]

I have Holland blood red seed. I have unheated propergators and windowsills. The packet says sow from Feb. How come you start early? Do you get good outcomes? I trust you lot and your expertise!

[burnie]

Onions grown from seed need a long season, that's why sets were developed to give them a head start, if you want larger plants then a longer growing season gets the best result, I shall be potting my plants on this week, still inside the conservatory until the frost have gone in a couple of months. You can sow later in the year, just that the result might be a bit more like large spring onions.

[.commander]

So I should get on with it now then?

Do I need to pamper them in any way or will a garage window be sufficient?

https://savvygardening.com/why-plant...planting-sets/

I'm eying up advice here to try this method.

[frogga]

Good luck frogga, do you have a light and airy shed or garage window to put them on to keep the frost off the roots?

Just noticed this post, they are currently in a polytunnel, at nights I'm placing them in our garage that's frost free, they are by a window so also get light too. They seem to be happy, I think they are looking forward to some longer days and warmth. (Aren't we all)

[burnie]

Like most seeds some heat aids with germination, I try to keep the plants from stopping growing by keeping them frost free and give them as much light as I can, Onions seem to be quite tough plants, but I have noticed if they stop or dry out too much, the plants will bolt to seed faster in the summer.

[burnie]

That's all mine potted on into old yoghurt pots, they will stay in those until winter has done it's worst and they get planted outside.

[Mark Rand]

Not growing/sowing any 'proper' onions, but I've got some Shallot Figaro seeds on the way, which is technically an onion.

Popped out to lift a couple of parsnips from the front garden and noticed that the half a row of shallots that I thought had died last year in a dry spell are all happily growing and making offsets. l

[burnie]

I tried growing shallots from sets and had poor returns, not tried them from seed, something to try in the future.

[Sweet savory]

Of my 2 trays the red onions have almost all come through but had to resow some of the others. These are in the porch.
I also did an experiment with cold sown onions in large yoghurt pot with the lid on and popped in the cold frame on 6 Jan.
Was suitably amazed to find they are germinating, even more so as the seed is 6 months past its use by date. It will be interesting to see how they fare.

[MelanieSW]

Just noticed the first of the Bedfordshire Champions peeking through in the tray. Fingers crossed that this will be the year when I manage to successfully grow at least a couple of onions from seed.

[Sweet savory]

Update on onions. The Bedford champion and Alisa Craig are growing strongly and looking healthy. Even had to squish a couple of early greenfly on them. However I had 12 Red Baron in modules and only 7 have survived and look anywhere near decent. Wonder if they are slower or just not as vigorous?

[.commander]

Tips of mine have gone yellow on some of them, have I done something wrong?