Onions 2022

[Mr Bones]

Not intended as a thread for onion problems as such but more for which varieties peeps are growing and how they're doing.

We have Autumn Champion from sets currently overwintering and plan to sow Golden Bear seed in February along with White Lisbon and Welsh Red spring onions.
Last year we had a steady supply of spring onions throughout the season from multi sowing (successionally) in modules before planting out and will be doing the same this year (hopefully photos to follow ).

[Snoop Puss]

I'm growing all my own this year from seed. I usually buy seedlings, but after last year's debacle due to Covid, I've decided to ensure supply of my preferred varieties by growing them myself. We use a lot of onions...

Figueres - smallish, sweet with pink tinge. Delicious flavour but don't last that long in storage.
Moradas de Amposta - similar but longer lasting in storage.
Late Valencians - very firm, good onion flavour but not sweet. Last a long time in storage but not my favourites for cooking with, hence the first two.
Fuentes - whopper sweet onions suitable for salads. Won't grow many as they don't store well at all.

Will also be growing shallots
Jermor from sets
Zebrune from seed

Plus leeks Chef's White and Titus. Hope they grow as they'll be last year's seed. Big thumbs up from me for Chef's White if you can find seeds: good flavour, good size and early harvest from August onwards.

[Snadger]

I have grown the Golden Bear mentioned above from seed. They are supposed to be white rot resistant methinks and did well for me. I always grow onion 'sets' as they are easier and less bother I find. The only onions I usually grow from seed are the long red florence, with varying degrees of success.

[Bren In Pots]

Last year we had a steady supply of spring onions throughout the season from multi sowing (successionally) in modules before planting out and will be doing the same this year .

I do the same Mr Bones I get better results that way

Pompeil,
White Lisbon
Ciboule Red dragon
Egyptian onions

[Snoop Puss]

Interesting. I never have much luck with spring onions. They seem to take forever and by the time I've cleaned them there's next to nothing left. Maybe I'm just impatient. How long from sowing to harvest for you guys?

[Mr Bones]

How long from sowing to harvest for you guys?

8-12 weeks depending on optimum growing conditions and how big you want them

[Mr Bones]

I have grown the Golden Bear mentioned above from seed. They are supposed to be white rot resistant methinks and did well for me.

Our plot has plenty of white rot and GB are very resistant. It's a lovely tasting onion too and stores well.

[Snoop Puss]

8-12 weeks depending on optimum growing conditions and how big you want them

No bigger than shop spring onions in the UK (can't buy them here). I sowed some in June last year and they've just put on a bit of a spurt of growth. I'm guessing they're thinking of bolting, so a 'scape' (not sure if that's what you call them for onions) is forming in the middle. I should pick them, as they now look about right to me.

[peanut]

Oh fiddlesticks! This has just reminded me I have a box of shallots in the greenhouse (Autumn planting long ones).
I had completely forgotten about them

[rary]

Collected some soil from molehills today, which is now spread out in a large tray and covered with a poly cloch, hopefully to get any weed seeds germanated and removed, before mixing with sand and sowing onion seeds, feel tempted to buy some sets, but determined to grow all from seeds this year

[Sweet savory]

I have a tray of rijksburger onions coming up on the windowsill to grow on in modules in the unheated g house in a few weeks. A few (10) of my own shallots planted in the garden and are well on their way. The autumn onions from seed are a bit so so but the garlic around them is doing fine. Also have a bucket of garlic which looks quite happy. Still to plant I have those long red Florence which are new to me and perhaps some Alisa Craig multisown next month.
I also multisow Ishigura spring onions which don’t bulb up but are quite versatile. Never had much success with white Lisbon.

[Mr Bones]

Yesterday sowed 180 Golden Bear maincrop in cells and multi-sown 60 cells of White Lisbon spring onions. All are in the house to germinate and will later be moved out to the unheated greenhouse.

[Sweet savory]

Today sowed 8 cells each of long red Florence 2 to a cell and multi sown ishigura spring onions. In the greenhouse.

[Mr Bones]

Planted a bed of 140 Golden Bear

[Snoop Puss]

Interesting, Mr Bones. You don't multisow?