Were my onions planted too early?

[Croila]

Hi there, I wonder if someone could advise me if I've messed up a load of onions, please?

Back on the last day of September I planted a load of "Troy" onions in pots and left them outside in a fairly sunny part of the garden. Well, when I say sunny, maybe that doesn't mean much what with the appalling weather we've had in October here!

But anyway, one month on and these onions have all sprouted a LOT. Some of them are as tall as four inches now, whilst others are barely poking through the soil.

I've never grown onions before but I had the idea in my head that if you plant overwintering onions, they'd put down roots and lie pretty dormant until spring ... Is that wrong, or have I just planted these onions too early and there's been to much light and it's been too warm so they've started growing "properly"? Or will they just stop as winter starts to take a grip?

I've planted a whole load more today both in the ground and in pots, so I guess I'll see what happens to them.

I wonder though, if these onions do survive, given that it can reach minus ten here in the winter, will I need to cover them with fleece?

Any help/advice would be ever so gratefully received - thank you!

[rustylady]

They should be fine - you do get green shoots as well as roots, and they are very hardy. You shouldn't need to use fleece.

[stella]

Mine have green shoots as well, dont know about roots (hope so) will just leave them outside to get on with it

[Croila]

Thank you rustylady! Sounds like all is well, then. Hopefully they'll survived the winter without too much attention

Stella, hope yours do well too!

[Croila]

Thank you rustylady! Sounds like all is well, then. Hopefully they'll survived the winter without too much attention

Stella, hope yours do well too!

[stella]

Hope so mind you at the rate they are growing we will be having them for Christmas

[Croila]

Well, I wouldn't actually complain, seeing as how my "Christmas" tatties went and died on me!

[solway cropper]

My overwintered onions survived several nights of -15 last winter without any protection. As others say, they are very hardy.

[Snadger]

I've still got a bag of Troy onions to plant yet shows how organised I am!
Worst case scenario, if the weather gets too bad I'll just plant em in modules and start them off in the cold greenhouse.
Got another two lots of Senshyu planted out up til now though!

[zazen999]

I've still got onions to plant as well.....the bed was prepped 3 weeks ago so there's no excuse...

[jackie j]

My onions and garlic are very healthy looking and I havent planted them all. Last years didnt get very big due to lack of water. Very dry here during the summer.

[Croila]

They survive minus 15, wow, that's COLD! I'm just thinking though, the majority of my onions are in Morrisons flower buckets ... I wonder if I'll have to wrap them up over winter at all? Cause I'm assuming that stuff in the ground might stay that little bit warmer?

[Two_Sheds]

Actually Croila, things in pots I've found to last better. The temperature off the ground is slightly higher than the ground.
I've had pelargoniums flowering in a hanging basket while there's frost on the ground.

[Croila]

Really?? Gosh that does surprise me. I'd have thought that as the freezing air can circulate all round a pot (and mine are only 10 inches diameter), the stuff inside would freeze solid way before what's in the ground! But that's good to know, that yours did better

[stella]

I wish I could get some of those flower buckets I have asked around and none of the shope here give them out