Sowing onion seeds

[pigletwillie]

Well its that time of year that tradition dictates that onion seed should be sown.

I personally have been far too comfortable in front of a roaring fire with a glass of 96 Rioja and "Oliver Twist" on television to go out to the greenhouse and do it. The next two days I am at work and to be totally truthful I wont get around to it for a week or three yet (Well a few might get sown at the weekend).

I will be growing the following varieties,

Setton, (lots)
Sturon (lots)
A red onion variety but not red baron (lots, variety to be confirmed)
Ailsa Craig (just a few)
Bedfordshire champion (just a few)
Banana shallots (lots from home saved seed grown
from French Banana shallots)
Prisma shallots (lots)


Has anybody "done the deed" today?

[Mrs Dobby]

Not Yet PW, havent had a chance, but we are planning on doing the deed on NYE, as we are both off then!

[Dobby]

Whayhey carnt wate doing the dirty deed on nye
carnt wate
oh you do meen plant my seeds dont you, the onion seeds that is!!!

[Lesley Jay]

Dobby!!! (I know I have a filthy mind!)

[Geordie]

Thats part of your charm!

[Lesley Jay]

Oh!! You sweet talker Geordie!!

[seasprout]

Know your onions..!

I'm going to sow Onion seeds for the first time ever, I've got Bedfordshire Champion and Kelsie.

Problem is i cannot find the packets at the mo..

[kirsty b]

I have sown some today. They are Hytech F1 from Suttons.
First time I have ever sown onions so I will wait and see if I have success.

Kirsty

[nick the grief]

Normally I grow 3 varieties of Onion ( not including the winter jobbies) but this year I shall mostly be growing Kelsae & Hative Shallots (might try a few Mammoth red if I've still got some seed left)

[pigletwillie]

I have Hative shallots Nick and need to plant soon as some are sprouting. I will put them in modules in a cold greenhouse until March.

[nick the grief]

I use 3" pots or 15 cell pack and do exactly the same as you.

[smallblueplanet]

Are you protecting your onions somehow? :O Isn't it too cold?

Got some seed from last year and some polystyrene propagating trays - what's best to do?

[Snadger]

Are you protecting your onions somehow? :O Isn't it too cold?

Got some seed from last year and some polystyrene propagating trays - what's best to do?

I think the onions that are being sown at present are show types and need approximately 65 degrees farenheit to germinate!

[pigletwillie]

Only the Ailsa Craig I sow are show a show type and I dont show them (only show them off).

Mine are sowed around now in 3 inch pots and are transplanted 40 to a tray when at the crook stage and then into 15 to a tray pots later.

Onions put on as much leaf growth as they can until around the summer solstice and then all of that leaf starts to produce bulb. Obviously more leaf means more bulb, so early sowings give you more of the required leaf. I sow mine in a frost free greenhouse kept at 3 degrees until February when the temp goes up to 10 degrees ready for growing on my tomatoes, chillies and peppers. They dont need a lot of heat to get going at all.

[Snadger]

Only the Ailsa Craig I sow are show a show type and I dont show them (only show them off).

Mine are sowed around now in 3 inch pots and are transplanted 40 to a tray when at the crook stage and then into 15 to a tray pots later.

Onions put on as much leaf growth as they can until around the summer solstice and then all of that leaf starts to produce bulb. Obviously more leaf means more bulb, so early sowings give you more of the required leaf. I sow mine in a frost free greenhouse kept at 3 degrees until February when the temp goes up to 10 degrees ready for growing on my tomatoes, chillies and peppers. They dont need a lot of heat to get going at all.

I stand corrected then piglet, I honestly thought that it was only Mammoth,Mammoth improved,Mammoth red, Kelsae, Ailsa Craig and other 'Large' type onions that were sown this early!