Spring onion advice please

[finglas]

Hi everyone, just looking for a spot of advice regarding spring onions.

Perhaps i am a bit late in planting them but i sowed some seeds about 4 weeks ago in a deep planter pot. I left this outside. It germinated but they seem awfully thin and whispy. Is this normal or is it a problem ?

I seen someone on youtube sowing seeds into modules and then later planting out. I have tried this too but they have only just germinated. When sown into modules where should they be left to germinate ? I put them on the window ledge but now they have germinated they havent been acclimatised to outside weather, UV etc. Will this be a problem ?

Would appreciate any help or advice,

Jamie

[Zelenina]

Hi Jamie. Is Finglas where you live? Onion seedlings do start off quite thin and wispy, and they can be even thinner and wispier if they're not getting enough light. But they are quite tough in spite of their delicate appearance and I think they'd be better off going outdoors now. At this time of year they shouldn't need a lot of hardening off but you can shelter them if you're expecting extreme weather like blazing sunshine, strong winds or torrential rain. A nice soft Irish day would be fine, or if the weather is very sunny put them out first in the evening, and maybe move them to a shadier place during the hottest part of the day until they've toughened up a bit.

Do you know the name of the variety? It's not the most usual time for sowing onions. There are many varieties that do best sown in the spring so they can grow when the days are getting longer, and they don't do well sown so late. There are also some that like to be sown around August when the days are getting shorter, and there are others that don't care about the day length.

[Kirk]

Perhaps i am a bit late in planting them but i sowed some seeds about 4 weeks ago in a deep planter pot. I left this outside. It germinated but they seem awfully thin and whispy. Is this normal or is it a problem ?

Going to suggest that you just leave them, I planted some in March, they germinated and grew and I am still waiting for them to resemble a spring onion rather then a slightly thin chive. Another 2 months and they may be useable but not sure.

Getting the opinion that the words ready to harvest in 10 weeks is all made up just to get people to buy the things. Or mine never learnt to work out what a week is and are counting in months.

One lot says rapid a in ready in 8 weeks - no way. If I plant as suggested now for an "extended season" then the season will include April 1st next year, or later.

Presently Spring Onions are one of my possibilities for next year, but the plan reads "Spring Onion ??". Meaning sowing then is a bit questionable. Find carrots the same, planted a patch of them last April, so far the carrot bit is less then 1cm (< 1/2") on all I have looked at.

[veggiechicken]

I agree with you Kirk
The retailer's interpretation of "speedy veg" is weeks shorter than mine. IMO its a marketing ploy to attract those who want a quick return but it may actually put people off because nothing is ready when expected.
Also, I've never managed to grow a spring onion that resembles the ones on sale - they're always scrawny.
Jamie, put your pot outside, keep it watered and in some sun and sit back for a while. They're usable at any stage, thin or thick.

[finglas]

Zelenina, thanks very much for getting back to me with some advice. No i dont stay near finglas, its a Glen in Scotland about 1 hour from me. I have fished there for many years.

Kirk and vegiechicken thanks a lot aswell. First time growing this year and I am finding the same with my veg. Maybe something is wrong with conditions or the doil but everything does seem to take an awful lot longer than its "meant to" according to the packets. Probably all marketing!

Thanks again everyone,

Jamie

[Potstubsdustbins]

I love my spring onions but I find them a long term project. I usually plant a trough late in the season to harvest in spring but this year I lost them when the trough over turned in strong wind.

So this season I started early my first planting went in on 13/02, 6 3" pots on a window sill, germination was complete by 21/02 and they went into a unheated GH. 28/3 they went to a trough outdoors.

I like to plant 6 3" pots every 6 weeks or so through out the season and find this keeps me in onions most of the time. I have just set another 6 pots yesterday, they may be ready this season dependant on the weather otherwise they will over winter ready for spring.

I will start to harvest this trough tomorrow, planted in late March they are now the size I like (BIG).

[Jay-ell]

I used to think that, being spring onions, they'd be a quick crop. They're Spring Onions because they would be sown in August at the same time as the overwintering onions (often the same variety) and harvested in spring before they bulbed up.

[Zelenina]

Ah, so there's a Finglas in Scotland too. I was thinking of the one in Ireland.

[nickdub]

Its probably possible to grow spring onions in 10 or 12 weeks if you have an ideal plot of ground and sow direct in May and really cosset them.

Back in the real world I'd say sow them when you can and germinate them in containers as you have, but if you want them to grow on to a good size I'd be inclined to transplant them in to the ground now. If you want to try this break of a handful with good roots from your container and put them in a bowl of water. Swirl them around a bit so you can see what you are dealing with by getting the compost off. Doing as little damage as possible separate out 2 or 3 plants and pop the roots and the bottom inch or so of plants in a hole, water to wash soil in round the roots them firm gently so as not to crush anything. If you don't mind chemicals a little sulphate of ammonia scattered among the plants and watered in will encourage them to grow on (don't try this on the container ones as its too strong)

[Snoop Puss]

Great tips, nickdub.

And Jay-ell, what variety would you sow in August?

[bario1]

I've been growing Spring onions for the first time this year, and had some nice crops. I sow quite thickly in one of those brown plastic tubs you buy mushrooms in in the supermarket (with drainage holes melted in the bottom). Leave them to it and then when the plants are about 6-8" tall, just pop out the whole thing and break it into about 8 clumps, and plant these out about 6" apart to grow on. I've been using 'Darcy' but other varieties are available.

[Jay-ell]

You could sow any overwintering onions (e.f. Japanese Onions) and harvest them before they bulb as spring onions or there is an overwintering version of White Lisbon

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, Jay-ell. Never have much luck with spring onions sown in spring but onions for salad are always welcome early in the year.

[Jay-ell]

You could try Welsh Onions as they are perennial multipliers and split - so you eat half a bunch and replant the rest. Each year they split and you get more onions.

[Snoop Puss]

You could try Welsh Onions as they are perennial multipliers and split - so you eat half a bunch and replant the rest. Each year they split and you get more onions.

I wondered about them. Do you get a bulb or do you just eat the leaves, as if they were chives?

I've ordered some overwintering spring onion seeds and some Shenshuyu seeds along with a few other things (special postage deal from D.T. Browns - the postage to Spain makes a big difference).