Help with red onion sets!

[sunnymay10]

Hi everyone,

I bought some red onions sets from Wilkinsons, so didn't cost a lot, put them aside and forgot about them while I was doing a hundred other things when
you get a new polytunel.
I've just come across them and considering they been put away somewhere I
would have thought they would be shooting a bit by now, but nothing, although
they do feel firm.
So, is it worth taking up good growing space if it's a bit late, I havn't grown them before and there are no plant by dates or anything else on the label, but as I say they are basic range, any thoughts please.

Sunnymay.

[zazen999]

Put them in. They won't grow unless they are in the soil.

[OllieMartin]

It say if they feel firm they're probably fine. plants and bulbs have evolved to survive, I doubt it would be a waste of time.
Besides, Wilkos are probably still selling red onion bulbs from the same stock that have been kept in similar conditions. If they don't have a use by date on them then Wilko's staff wouldn't know when to stop selling them.

[sunnymay10]

Thanks for your replies, just thought it might be too late for them as I seem to have had them months, I must have got them when they were first brought into the shop then,
Also didn't want to put them in and do nothing, taking up space of something giving a return, is there a last month, that they would still grow out in the open?
Sunnymay.

[King Carrot]

at the very worst you get spring onions - bang em in!

[zazen999]

If you are running out of space, dot them around your plot or put them closer together than the spacing says.

[chris]

Okay.. prepare yourself for a bit of a daft question.. I've wondered this for a while:

Why at worst would they be spring onions? Can't you just leave them in the gound longer? I thought they were hardy?

[Two_Sheds]

Chris, they will only grow for as long as the growing conditions are good: they don't grow in the winter, and will go to seed the following spring.
So, bang them in the ground ASAP: they've already lost a month's growth, so probably won't be full size onions, but will be big enough for spring onions or for pickling

[chris]

Ok I sowed mine a while ago - couple months I think, they're foilage is quite tall now, probably 1.5' ?

Some leaves are bending over, guessing thats from the rain pounding away at them!