Autumn Onion and Shallot Sets Planting

[Artisan]

I purchased some F1 Centurion Onion and Golden Gourmet Shallot sets earlier this year for spring planting. I have some of each left over. Can anyone tell me if these varieties can also planted in the Autumn to winter over for next spring?

Greg

[veggiechicken]

You may find that the sets will have softened or sprouted in the bag before autumn - and will be useless.

[Artisan]

I have checked them this morning. one or two of the Shallots have softened but none have sprouted yet. If they remain in good condition and do not sprout will they be okay to plant?

[veggiechicken]

Personally, I wouldn't give up valuable space to them. You'd do better buying some autumn planting sets to plant then.
However, I would bung them in an odd corner or pots now and use them as "spring" onions.

[Artisan]

Thank you, thats a great help. All part of my retirement learning curve!!!

[veggiechicken]

I'm a few years ahead of you in this retirement game Loving every minute!
The stores are selling old onion sets at the moment - Wilkos had them for 50p instead of £2 yesterday. They're worth buying at that price for a quick "spring" onion crop. Shallots can be left in the ground longer and I've been pulling some from last year recently.

[Jay-ell]

Plant them out now closer than normal and harvest them as spring onions/onion greens.

[Artisan]

Thank you for the info. This retirement malarkey is hard work. I think I’ll re-join the Fire Service. It was easier than vegetable growing!!! At least I could walk around the station all day with a clipboard, a blank piece of paper and a pen. If I was ever stopped by an officer and asked what I was doing I’d say that I was conducting an inventory. They would normally say “okay Fireman, carry on”. They never even asked what the inventory was for. Amazing what you can get away with. Of course I am only joking!

[veggiechicken]

You can wander round the garden with your clipboard too. If you feel the need to write something down, you could count the onions or draw a plan or make a list of plants or count the butterflies.........this is the voice of experience speaking

[Artisan]

What a good idea! At least I won't feel too lost at what I'm doing.

[veggiechicken]

If you're feeling lost, draw a map of your garden, put up some signs and a Big Arrow pointing back home. As you get older, you need these little reminders

[Jay-ell]

An important part of gardening is reflecting on the progress of the garden and analysing the performance. This usually involves sitting down somewhere with a cuppa.

[Artisan]

I need that arrow now. Perhaps it's not a good idea to re-join the Fire Service. In my last years of service I was an appliance (fire engine) driver. If I went out on a call I need someone to direct me back to the Fire Station!

[veggiechicken]

Its when you're lost on your way to a fire that you need to worry. Sounds like you were OK on that score!

[Artisan]

I now know why the service retires you from the age of 50. The older you get the less your short term memory works. All your good for is gardening!