All things Allium - Leeks, onion, shallots etc

[zazen999]

I think I'm going to have to buy more banana shallot seeds, I've only had one germinate from this lot. At least the Jermor is looking good.

[Jenegade]

I've got loads of Leek seeds up now, yay! Wasn't expecting such good germination!

[smallblueplanet]

I think I'm going to have to buy more banana shallot seeds, I've only had one germinate from this lot. At least the Jermor is looking good.

I've got some cuisses de poulet aka 'cuisse de poulet de zebrune' aka chicken leg of poitou aka banana shallots if you'd like some pm me.

[zazen999]

I've got some cuisses de poulet aka 'cuisse de poulet de zebrune' aka chicken leg of poitou aka banana shallots if you'd like some pm me.

I'd say yes, but I'd already had a PM from Seahorse offering Banana Shallots - and I bit her hand off! Although I also have Zebrune so perhaps they are the same thing???

[smallblueplanet]

I'd say yes, but I'd already had a PM from Seahorse offering Banana Shallots - and I bit her hand off! Although I also have Zebrune so perhaps they are the same thing???

I think so. I also have an idea that that's what Seahorse is offering you?

[emilymup]

blue de solaise leeks which i sowed on the 21st are starting to peep through!
no sign of the porvite yet!

[Wren]

Mine are sat outside on the sunny, south facing bin cupboard, covered with a clear bag, and sunning themselves in pots during the daytime, then they are brought indoors late afternoon and sit under the florescent lights under the kitchen cupboards for the eve. They are looking healthy and green . The Bunton's showstopper seed seems to be the star of them all, while i have had to re sow the Mammoth onions due to poor germination and then the flippin cat knocked them all off the window sill. My autumn sown Garlic is going great guns and just over pencil thick in the front herb bed, it's south facing and getting a good warm today in the sun.

The F1Pandora leeks have an excellent germination rate and are all through, but alas the F1 Bandit leeks have proved to be a big flop with poor germination an then they all keeled over with damping off. By comparison the F1pandora sown next to them in the same compost and under same cover is doing very well. I will maybe try the Bandit seeds again in a few weeks time but if they fail too then i will know not to waste my money on that verity again.

That's my catch up all done

Wren

[janeyo]

Still no sign of my red brunswick seeds sown on 30th Dec.

They are in cold frame where salad leaves and caulis have germinated.

Are they a gonner or should I wait a bit longer? Should I bring them indoors?

Help!

[shirlthegirl43]

I need to prick out my onion seedlings now. I have bought 40 cell trays but wondered if there was a recommended compost to use. I have multi-purpose but can easily pop to the garden centre to get something more appropriate if required.

[smallblueplanet]

We've planted our onion, shallot and leek seeds in multi-purpose compost in 40 cell self-watering modules. They're growing nicely.

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks SBP, I went and bought more seed and cutting compost (needed it for more seeds). Might pot on some into that and some into multi-purpose and compare results. Pardon the silly question but do I just pot on as brasiccas or does it matter if they are a bit deeper than currently?

[smallblueplanet]

Not sure on that one shirley, we grow ours on in the modules the seeds were sown in and they don't get transplanted until later, when its into the ground.

[shirlthegirl43]

That's how I tried them last year but I thought I would follow Piglet's method this year (due to lack of success last year).

come on piggy - I need help please

[Lazgaot]

I've had pretty good success with my Kelsae and Red Brunswick seeds planted on 26th and 28th December respectively. I'd guess at 90+% germination. These were in seed trays in on a window sill indoors. The heating was gradually turned off so the room was cold then they were moved into the green house last week.

Planted some leek seeds last weekend too, in modules and in the same room with some heating.

When is it safe to plant Shallot sets out and why should the ground not be manured? In case they rot?

[T-lady]

Had a lovely afternoon on Sunday pottering in my greenhouse with a glass of wine, listening to Gardener's Question Time on Radio 4. Spring has started for me as I sowed:
Onions: Ailsa Craig, Kelsae, Bedfordshire Champion, Bristol, Dorata de Parma and Kelsae
Leeks: Autumn Mammoth 2 - Snowstar

This year I'm germinating them in heated propagators and then will brutally turn them out into unheated propagators in the greenhouse - should be plenty enough protection for them (I hope).
I've also gone with the 'pinch per module' recommendation - last year I broadcast them over large seed trays but really struggled with the pricking out stage. Not this time!