Autumn Onions

[cariann88]

I am due to receive my onions, shallots and garlic sets next week from Sutton. Last year I planted them straight into the ground.

I was just wondering what you lot do with yours. Do you plant them straight into the ground or do you put them into trays?

[Jimmy]

What does it say on the packet ?
Jimmy

[Greenleaves]

my autumn sets go straight in the ground Carrie

[Jungle Jane]

Always straight in the ground,I tried onions in a tray once but when it came to planting them out there was too much else to do with sowing everything & I didn't know where to plant them so they stayed in the tray forever then the bin! Easier to put them in now while there's not much going on & loads of space in the garden. I'm trying to work out where they're going to go,they like my raised bed but I had them in there last year,I might do some soil removal & refill

[cariann88]

Yeah your right Jane. I need the room to sow seeds
I am the same as you. I think I have rearranged about 10 times to where everything is going on the plot. And I know I will change it 10 more times until things are ready to be planted in the ground.
But saying that once I plant the onions, shallots and garlic they wont be moving from there.

I will plant them in the ground but if I have any spare I might give it a go and try some in trays. Just to see the results.

[SelkirkAlex]

probably best to plant them now, disadvantages can be having them raided by birds or mice if they are problematic where you are, or rotting in the ground if it is very wet, planting in modules and planting out early next year works although you can be running into time problems next year with everything happening at once. 6 of one half a dozen of the other imho

[cariann88]

I think i might just plant then whenever they arrive. Just had a email saying they going to dispatch end of Sept.

I will just net them so the birds cant get them.

[craftymarie]

I've only ever planted mine straight into the ground.

This year, I planted some in the greenhouse border to see how they get on. Hoping they crop a bit earlier in there. Got some nice green shoots coming up now.

I have some spare which I think I will test outside although I suspect our soil will get too wet for them over the winter. Our winters are usually mild but very wet.

I might test a few in modules as well. Then compare all 3 methods and see which one works best

[Forage420]

I grow more onions than anything else and this year I'm sowing 4kilos of 3 different varieties: electric, senshyu & radar. That's approximately 1000 onion sets. Straight into the ground.

[Mark_Riga]

I generally plant the onions straight out about now. But the garlic will be going where I've grown butternut squash and a few other squash types so won't be able to go in for a few weeks yet. I'll pot them up in a greenhouse and hopefuly plant them out early December in that mild dry spell that is always forecast for then.

They should have a good root formation by then and some green shoots (though they don't hold the soil together well when handling).

[WPG]

I direct planted about 100 onions (variety Shakespeare) yesterday, will be planting the garlic in a few weeks time.

I have tried starting onions off in modules before- they sprouted very well but I found it quite a fiddle to plant out without breaking their roots.