Onions 2024

[Bren In Pots]

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

A link to last years thread :-

Onions 2023. - The Grapevine (growfruitandveg.co.uk)

[burnie]

I sowed some Robinsons Mammoth Red seeds in December, grown the m for years, but he Sturon seeds failed to germinate, a second sowing with Red Baron(all I had) have germinated well, looks like all red onions this year then.

[Andraste]

I've never grown from seed before & have a 1st week of Feb windowsill sowing planned for Red Baron (moving swiftly to the blowaway when they show). Do you think that's too late burnie ?

[Containergardener]

I was wondering about sowing onions now. Red and spring onion?

[Vince G]

Given up on growing oinons from seed (other than spring onions, and Italian Tropea onions, which are like huge red spring onions anyway). They always seem to get allium leaf miner whilst those grown from sets are untouched

[Snoop Puss]

Given up on growing oinons from seed (other than spring onions, and Italian Tropea onions, which are like huge red spring onions anyway). They always seem to get allium leaf miner whilst those grown from sets are untouched

That's very odd, Vince. Have you any idea why that might be? Planting times, for example?

[ameno]

I was visiting relatives in Cornwall this week, and saw that they had Centurion (a Best Buy variety) onion sets in Trago Mills for a very good price, so I bought 150.
I grew Centurion only once before (they were selling the sets in Poundland, but they stopped doing that variety from the next year), but it gave a far better crop than any variety I have tried since.
I'm a bit limited in what varieties I can get hold of usually, as I refuse to buy sets online (as the prices are obscene for such a low-value crop), and I don't want to grow from seed, as it's too much of a pain and the small plants take up too much space.

Although that said, I do actually have a tray of inadvertent red onion sets. I sow my spring onions in trays first, then transplant once they reach 2-3mm thick. But I neglected to plant out half of them last year, they grew 1cm wide bulbs in the seed tray, then the leaves died back. Then in the autumn the leaves started growing again, and they now look quick healthy. I'll try planting them out come March.
The variety is Lilia, which will grow into full sized onions if left.

[Vince G]

That's very odd, Vince. Have you any idea why that might be? Planting times, for example?

Not sure to be honest, but I'm not the only person at the allotment to have been affected. I started the onion seeds in modules, and transplanted them whilst still quite small and only a tiny bulb had started to form. Perhaps because the sets are bigger and tougher when they go in the ground they can resist better

[Snoop Puss]

Interesting. I guess just more proof that gardening is local. Whatever works is good.

[dromia]

I use Sturon sets.

Been using them for decades, tried others along the way but nothing touches them for reliability, taste and yield.

Grow some onions from seeds occasionally just for interest but it is too much of a faff on and risky for me to grow all I need for a crop from seed.

So sets it is easy and reliable.

I always find it best to pre-order the sets in the autumn rather than wait 'till they come into stock as that way I seem to get better quality sets.