To sink or not to sink?

[Florence Fennel]

I never have much success with onions and I say every year that I'm not going to grow any, but every year I do. As VVG does, I start them off in modules and get a good root growth, then plant them with just the tip showing. They have good strong growth this year as every year before, but will they fatten up 'cause they never have before? I live in hope. Sigh.

[Alison]

I just push mine in about 2/3 of the way, never any problem with them coming out but I think if you have clayey soil then it will heave a bit and push them up again. Mine is more silty if it's anything. Netted the first year against birds but not bothered since and the birds don't seem to bother but I get less bird damage than a lot of you guys by the sounds of it anyway. Life is to short to make more work for myself.

[Plot10]

I lay a plank down to stand on and to use as a straight edge then use the end of a broom handle to push holes about 1" deep in the soil and about 2" from the edge of the plank then pop the sets in the holes with the shoot end just poking above soil level. I then (very) gently rake soil over the row so as not to disturb the bulbs. I've had a few pop out which I think is birds as I haven't netted but most are just starting to show green shoots now.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Auntie Flo do you prepare a bed with lots of compost etc as onions are very hungry plants. I use a specialist onion fertiliser in my pots.

Colin

[Snadger]

I root my shallots first by placing on top of potting compost in a blowaway- just gently firmed down onto it.
When the roots are about 3-4cm long I plant them out in little hollows and cover over the roots.
I could never be bothered with doing this with the small onion sets- but this tip was given to me by an 'oldie' on the next allotment who got banned from entering his onions into shows cos he always won everything!
If it worked for him.....

Like you, and quite a few others on here methinks, I set my onion sets and shallots away early in trays. Only got one trayful to plant out now and they are all standing up like little soldiers.
It also gives you a chance to weed out the no-hopers leaving your rows full without gaps!

[Sylvan]

I plant my set about half way in. Roots can push the set out of the ground, but when you find a set some 4" away from where it was planted then that ain't root growth.

Colin

Are you sure they're not spring onions Colin?
(Sorry - I'll get me coat )

[Florence Fennel]

Auntie Flo do you prepare a bed with lots of compost etc as onions are very hungry plants. I use a specialist onion fertiliser in my pots.

Colin

No more than any other bed Colin, so I'll pay special attention next time I decide not to grow them , thank you for that.

[Alison]

Like you, and quite a few others on here methinks, I set my onion sets and shallots away early in trays. Only got one trayful to plant out now and they are all standing up like little soldiers.
It also gives you a chance to weed out the no-hopers leaving your rows full without gaps!

I do that for my shallots but haven't got enough space for all the onion sets as well although did have to do some the other year as not all the required amount of bed was ready and I wanted to get them started.

[sowitgrowit]

I hope it isn't too late for Onion sets - I was just thinking I'd get some on the way home and get them in the new allotment (clear now so time to get planting!). My shallots have been romping away in the garden for months so it feels too late for getting more, but I suppose it's still alright for putting them out, isn't it?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yep you'll be OK to plant now.

Colin

[sowitgrowit]

Thanks! I'll see what Wilkos have got on the way home. Last time I was in they had reasonable sized bags of "Swift" for £1.50 or so; a couple of those might be a good way to start on the 'lotty.