Shrinking spring onions

[Marb67]

I know it seems impossible but I can assure you that a lot of stuff I plant can get smaller over time instead of grow. I sowed these spring onions (lisbon) on 28th Feb and planted out late April under a cloche in my new prepared raised bed (square foot mix of Irish peat moss,organic compost,vermiculite,some garden soil) They get decent sunlight but growth has been zero, if in fact reversing. Planted next to carrots (which haven't shown) to deter fly. Considering sown over 2 months ago it's a poor show. I never seem to be able to grow onions

The white stuff is crushed eggshells to deter slugs. Would a sprinkle of chicken manure pellets help ?

Thanks.

[Penellype]

Your spring onions look much better than mine ever do. From sowing in 12 modules this time last year, I have 3 plants that are just about of edible size now. I find they grow very slowly, keel over and die or try to grow upside down.

You are not the only one who finds them difficult!

[Jungle Jane]

They look like they've made a good start,I had one decent spring onion last year,the rest of mine were either too thin or didn't show. When harvesting,does anyone cut them & leave the root in there to regrow? I did that last year with my one spring onion & it was regrowing well but then it was winter & stopped growing. I just looked at it,it's got tubular leaves & I think it might flower soon,it's next to last years rocket that started flowering months ago,all winter I think (the bees liked the early flowers!) I've been feeding my onions seaweed extract.

[Marb67]

Well looking at them a few days on and they have shrunk even smaller. I don't understand it because the weather has got warmer and a lot of my plants have put on quite a bit of growth.

[roitelet]

I don't grow spring onions but I was under the impression that they were sown direct and then thinned. I believe that they are not the easiest thing to grow.

Have you thought of perpetual welsh onions. A bit like huge chives, cut and come again.

[Scoot]

My spring onions are the same. They're absolutely pathetic and have been in over 2 months now.

I've sown some more but reading that others have problems with them, I don't hold out much hope.

[Marb67]

Yes, I bought a pot of Welsh Onions last year from a stall and they thrived until they eventually died. I was under the impression that they grew all through winter which they didn't. However, all is not lost because I saved the seed and have indeed sown some this spring which are doing quite well so far.

[Greenleaves]

I gave up on spring onions years ago Marb. 3 things i cant grow:

Radish
Spring Onions
Chives

All everyday items and all supposed to be easy.....not for me there not

[plam]

I love spring onions but find them tricky. I do several different sowings at different times, some direct, some in modules. I find that every now and then a sowing will just work. I've never been able to find a pattern, so continue with the scattergun approach!

[SusieG]

I gave up on spring onions years ago Marb. 3 things i cant grow:

Radish
Spring Onions
Chives

All everyday items and all supposed to be easy.....not for me there not

Phew, thought it was just me that can't grow spring onions/chives ... Mine too seem to be shrinking!!!
And radishes, I harvested ONE small one and now the others look like they're 'bolting' - and as thin as a matchstick!!!

[Marb67]

Isn't it strange how it isn't consistent for us all. You get years when things grow easy and some when they don't. I have never been able to grow carrots. Radish yes and no as if they are doing well like now you get these ridiculously hot changes from very cold and they start to bolt. You can't win (unless like me you harvest the seeds as a crunchy salad garnish)

[veggiechicken]

I have trouble with spring onions too - lots of things actually but I don't always admit to it
Last year I sowed some "bunching onions" - Ishikuro & Kyoto - and grew them as clumps in the GH bed. They took months to reach a decent size and got lost amongst the tomatoes. They're still there, with big flower heads, setting seed. Too big to be salad onions so I'm going to leave them and see what happens next.

Edit - they were sown in August 2014 and I'm still waiting for a decent spring onion!
Definitely not as easy to grow as the blurb would have you believe http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ons_83754.html

[roitelet]

Don't keep welsh onions in a pot, Marb, they need to go in the ground.

[Greenleaves]

Sorry to hijack your thread Marb but,

I am intrigued by Welsh Onions, are they grown from seed?

[veggiechicken]

They can be grown from seed, or by division.