overwintering onions

[Lizzy56]

I am in North Manchester.

I recently bought onion sets from the Southport Flower Show.

These are the Japanese variety and I was told to get them in now.

I did put my overwintering onions in at this time last year and I was quite disappointed with the results.

what would you experts do? I think anyway that if I hang onto them until next spring they will be well past their best by then

[Two_Sheds]

I put mine out in October. If you plant them in spring, they won't be overwintered

[Lizzy56]

overwintering onions

how would you store them now to ensure they don't spoil over the next month?

[zazen999]

They can go in now, it's September in a few days. Mine always start to go in during Sept. But then I'm higher up the country than Two_sheds.

They may have failed due to the weather, the long wet winter, higher expectations, the soil, the rain etc etc.

If you do want to save them for whatever reason, they still need to go in this year; but for bigger onions, the earlier the better IMHO.

[Two_Sheds]

Mine always start to go in during Sept. But then I'm higher up the country than Two_sheds.

Yep, we always seem to have a relatively hot & dry September (following wet & cool Augusts)

[rustylady]

how would you store them now to ensure they don't spoil over the next month?

Unpack them and store them somewhere cool and dry.

[zazen999]

Yeah right! Usually mine get left in the back of the car or a shopping bag if I don't put them in right away!

Lizzy - you are in Manchester - they can go in as soon as you have space!

[Lizzy56]

overwintering onions

I might be a bit thick here but no sure I get the joke in the last post. is this an allotmenting joke? m

[zazen999]

There is no joke - they will be fine for a month wherever you put them...as long as they are not in extremes of temperature. I usually just chuck them in the boot and plant them when I have time.

I don't see why you don't put them in now!

[rustylady]

I might be a bit thick here but no sure I get the joke in the last post. is this an allotmenting joke? m

Lizzy, you're not being thick and it's not a joke (well, not exactly). The thing is we all know the theory about how to store your seeds, onion sets, seed potatoes etc. and we will all give you the right advice, but none of us are perfect. Although we know the theories life gets in the way sometimes. I've found stuff in the most unusual places (usually cos I've been trying to unpack with the grandchildren helping).