Onion sets-february

barb · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:05 am Post subject: Onion sets-february

Hi
I have bought my red and white onion sets and am not sure if I should plant them out yet, there seems to be so much on the internet about plant when sprouted dont plant until april etc etc so am confused! Any advice would be gratefully received.
I have also just planted some chilli and pepper seeds( in unheated greenhouse) along with a few cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts am I perhaps being over enthusiastic ?
Many thanks

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 1:36 pm Post subject:

Hi Barb,

This discussion comes up every year, and you can go back through old threads to see what has been advised before.

In my garden, I plant my onions sets in February, and I always have, I have never sprouted them, as I followed my Dad's methods, and he never did. Once or twice when we got a bit of frost the bulbs were pushed up a little, but I just pushed them back down.

On a gardening programme last year I saw Month Don plant his shallots and onion bulbs in seed trays to get them sprouting, but I did not try it. I read the the sticky on planting garlic here, and that is the way I am trying it this year.

I am always reluctant to plant other seedlings too early, but I have some brocolli seeds in an unheated propogator and a heated one also. The seedlings are showing already in the heated propogator. Last year according to my gardening notes I planted cabbage, cauliflower, kale and beet root seeds on the 25th February in an un heated greenhouse, and they were all successful.

I hope this is of some help, but the old threads are the best source of info.

Maeve

dormouse · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:16 pm Post subject:

The Chilli and Pepper seeds won't work out if you leave them in the greenhouse barb. They need a high temp to germinate and then need to be grown on in heat. So take those in and put them somewhere warm covered with cling film. Once they sprout take off the film and grow them on on a well lit window sill. Take them away from the glass at night or they could get frosted. They shouldn't go outside until probably May (weather permitting), maybe even June if it's a bad May.

spudman · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 8:41 pm Post subject:

Sturon Onion sets in Aldi this week, gud size and gud storing variety, try Irish Garden Centres if you wish !

barb · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:59 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the advice and info...will move the chillis today!

Lius · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 5:11 pm Post subject:

I tried a couple of years getting a few Onion bulbs down with the first early spuds in March. They grew great until the weather warmed-up and then bolted.

I was told on this site that this is due to the Onions experiencing cold then warm weather and cold / warm again, this confuses them into thinking they have gone through a whole season and that it is time to go to seed when the weather finally stays warm.

Bolting onions have to be pulled immediately and eaten straight away but they are very sticky & pungent. If you try to dry them they just keep on sprouting with new seed heads and the bulb wastes away.

spudman · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:38 pm Post subject:

Lius · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:51 pm Post subject:

Spudman,

How do you know when to bend over the stalks? I found that once there is any sign of bolting it can't be stopped. I even tried cutting off the stalks and drying the bulbs but they just kept growing new stalks, it was an unstoppable urge to reproduce.

Also what do you mean ablut quality of seed - any tips on what to buy? I have used sets (Stuttgart etc.) from usual places and they all seem to bolt if they experience to many severe weather changes.

stonehead · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:04 pm Post subject:

Same happend to me to Lius i sowed in mid March and all looked well till Jul/Aug then they started to produce seed heads which i cut off, even come Sept they were still growing strong with very thick necks. I think i may have over fertilized them. Even when i lifted them they were still growing so i tried to dry as best i could but they all rotted eventully.

stonehead.

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:33 am Post subject:

Hi Luis and Spudman,

I have always followed my Dads way of planting onions and he always planted them in February, then he would thin out the weaker ones during the summer and store the strongest ones. He was a farmer for some of his life and I have always followed his methods.

I work with a lot of eastern europeans and they have all planted their onion set by now also, although they find the weater very mild, I have a ukranian friend who thinks this time of year is like early may in her home town!!

I think that because the bulbs are planted so early they have time to adjust to the temperatures, and as the ground gets warmer they thrive. But I am not an expert. I am sure there are more experienced gardeners on this forum who will be able to advise you.