Germinating Onions

[roitelet]

This year I am growing oinons from seed as I have had problems with sets.

The seed I sowed the Autumn in open ground and then planted out is fine. Now I want to start some more. I have sown 2 lots now and each time the germination has been more than poor, awful

They are kept in the house (no greenhouse) until germinated and then moved to the cold frame. Am I starting them too warm or what else am I doing wrong?

Help please

[Geordie]

I take germination to mean nothing produced for the seed that was planted, Ok, bit of a checklist but may help:

Is it new seed, try germination test on damp kitchen roll first

Ideally temp should be 12-15 degrees but will germinate below or above this, not really crirical.

Compost in good condition, kept just moist.

Seed depth...not planting to deep

If they germinate ok in the house but die as seedlings in the cold frame this is probably due to the temperature change being too much too soon.You need to put them in cold frame during the day but take back in at night. Gradually, over a week or two, extend the time they spend in the cold frame untill they can be moved there permenantly.

Daft question I know but if you get them to seedling stage how do they die.....ie just disappear, get thinner at soil level and fall over, wilt, dry up etc.

Trying!

[roitelet]

Thanks Geordie,

The seed is that which I bought last autumn and just isn;t germinating well at all I would say about 10% so I don't get that many seedlings. I don't think they are damping off and when they are in the cold frame they don't seem any worse/better than in the house.

I will have a go at pre-germinating them and how deep do you reccomend sowing them?

[Geordie]

I would say no more than 5mm and maybe try covering with vermiculite or fine sand if you have any. (If you didnt before hand) If it is germination rate at 10% I would guess bad seed, was it from same supplier....might be worth contacting them.

Pre germinating should give you the same approx % as sowing in compost. If pre germinating gives much better results then look at next stage....ie compost / trays etc.

Failing that I think it would be remiss of me not to offer an alium diagnosis in person. Your country of residence is purely coincidental!

[rustylady]

Sounds really bad germination rate. Could your compost be too wet so they are rotting instead of germinating? I would try the pre-germination test and if this doesn't produce good results then get a new packet of seed. It's also worth contacting the supplier of the original seed and making a complaint, you may even get replacements or gift vouchers - and anyway they need to be aware if there's a problem with a particular batch of seeds.

[muckdiva]

I've had problems germinating onions from time to time, and I'm sure it has to do with how fresh the seed is. I sent some spring onions back to the manufacturer as I'd tried with two different packs (probably from the same batch). The seed they sent as a replacement germinated fine.

[roitelet]

Thanks everyone, I will give it another try. As for sending the seed back, my French isn't up to complaining yet Prehaps I will just buy another packet of seed.