Sowing onion seeds

[pigletwillie]

Pictures say it with much more impact than words. Using the multisown modules is great for the variety of sizes of onion you get as not every situation requires a big onion

[supersprout]

that onion phrase is SO true pw, made me laugh out loud
hope you don't mind I poached it for my signature

[smallblueplanet]

SS those modules are cool looking things where did you get them from?

[supersprout]

ty smallblueplanet, I converted to these modules last year and they are sooo well designed, can fit masses of seedlings onto a windowsill, a doddle to get good germination and neat and tidy to water. Ideal for sowing in succession too, just pop in seven types of e.g. lettuce, chicory, carrot, cauli (all year round), beetroot every couple of weeks from March-Sept, plant them out four weeks later. You wash the modules in the dishwasher and they come up like new!

Potter Garden (a Swedish company) makes these, under the name 'Original Compact Plant Trainer with Pop Up! system'. The Organic Gardening Catalogue sells them, I did hear that some people have found them cheaper elsewhere so might be worth a google to find the best price

[smallblueplanet]

...You wash the modules in the dishwasher and they come up like new! .....

LOL! I knew there was a reason to get a dishwasher - I hate 'pot' washing!

[JennieAtkinson]

A question from my husband - where does the expression "know your onions" come from and what does it mean?
I didn't know the answer!

[Lesley Jay]

Jennie it comes from America and simply means to be knowledgeable in a certain subject.

[supersprout]

try here?
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-kno1.htm

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks Lesley and SS - I will impress him later when he gets in!

[Morty_007]

Well, I planted my onion seeds today and sets because they had sprouted in the bag they were in!

They are in my conservatory which isn't heated but has a condenser tumble dryer in it which runs frequently during the winter. Crossing fingers that they will be OK.

[pigletwillie]

test picture

a test picture hopefully of this years banana shallots

[supersprout]

OHHHH where did you get those Piglet (or is it a long story?)

[pigletwillie]

Ok here is the short version.

Holiday in Normandy 2005, bought shallots and saved

2006 planted same for a crop of seed and a few didnt (hence picture)

2007 planted 2006 seed to grow shallots (there is a bit left if you want some)

So hopefully this year I will harvest a crop of genuine UK produced banana shallots.

[Snadger]

a test picture hopefully of this years banana shallots

As you know PW, I have just sown something similar from seed myself.

Does each seed produce a 'cluster' as with shallots or does each seed grow one individual bulb?

[pigletwillie]

No they dont really cluster most bulbd run straight to seed and those that dont generally give up two or perhaps three individual but large shallots. I grow them just like onions from seed.