Tips for growing onions from seed?

[zendog]

What you said is true for Dixondale varieties but the ones I grow, I did not trim at all. They were healthy and took off growing. Dixondale needed at least two weeks to get going. I carefully plant mine in the ground and water heavily afterwards. They seem to do ok.

I've had a similar experience. With the onions I start myself I don't trim them at all at planting and they hardly miss a beat. Before I started growing my own a neighbor at the community garden gave me some of their mail-order starts, which were much bigger than what I grow, but it was definitely quite a while until they were recovered and growing well.

[zendog]

So a big question for me is when to plant out my onion seedlings. I'll admit to being a bit erratic about my planting times in previous years, but I'm wondering about planting around 3 weeks before my last usual frost date. I think that is probably earlier than I have planted them in the past. Is that too early? I know frost won't kill them completely, but I wasn't sure how much it might slow them down or possibly weaken the small onions or leeks. Thoughts?

[ponyexpress]

but I'm wondering about planting around 3 weeks before my last usual frost date. I think that is probably earlier than I have planted them in the past. Is that too early?

In my area, last frost is around May 12th. I planted my onions the first week of April. They were fine even though we still had a few very cold nights.

[Paquebot]

Time to plant onions is anytime in the spring when they can be put into the ground. They will survive down to 20ºF with no foliage damage. Root system will easily survive -20ºF with no damage. Right now I suspect that Jung's have received their Dixondale order and it's n the Randolph warehouse. Their 5 stores will probably e getting them next week. When they do, local manager will drop off a bundle of Patterson and Redwing on her way home. It will still be winter here but they will go into the ground. Bed was prepped last fall so no need to wait for soil to dry. Every day in the ground means one more day to a bigger onion.

Martin

[MrBig46]

On February 24, I planted these two varieties of huge onions (they grow to a size of 0.5 to 1 kg). They sprouted well outside my window, and on Friday I will move them to the tunnel in the garden. I will plant them in the flower bed when they are about 5 mm thicker. It's not an onion for storage, but I'm looking forward to tasting it for the first time.
Vladimír
pic upload

[ponyexpress]

On February 24, I planted these two varieties of huge onions (they grow to a size of 0.5 to 1 kg).

I always enjoy seeing gardening posts from people in other countries. It's fascinating to see the difference in varieties, seed packages, etc. But ultimately, we all mostly garden the same way.

[ponyexpress]

Time to plant onions is anytime in the spring when they can be put into the ground. They will survive down to 20ºF with no foliage damage.

At this time of the year, you're not expecting temperature to be below 20ºF anymore, right?

When you plant the Dixondale onions, how deep do you plant them? 1" ? I remember last year I had to check them each day in case they pop out. Not sure why that happened. It could have been the wind or some animal knocking them over.

[Paquebot]

Sets are planted with their tips just below ground level. Plants are about 1½|deep regardless of size. If onion plants or sets are found out of the ground, it's a good chance that you have night crawlers. Before gypsy moth spray killed my crawlers, I would sprinkle shredded leaves over the onions so the worms would eat those instead.

Martin

[MrBig46]

Overwintering onion seedlings survived the winter by 90%. The minimum temperature was -15 ° C, the seedlings were covered with non-woven fabric. The peaks are crooked because there was a layer of snow on them for a while. I guess it wanted such a low tunnel.
Vladimír

[Paquebot]

With few exceptions, I have found that any onion that overwinters invariably goes to seed very quickly. The cold period reminds them that they are biennials and they must produce a flower stalk.

Martin

[MrBig46]

I can't say yet how it will turn out. But the seedlings were as they should be in the fall so that they wouldn't bloom in the spring — as thick as a pencil. The orchards I planted were bred specifically for this type of cultivation - Augusta, Hiberna and Senshyu.
Vladimír

[ponyexpress]

I had a setback with my seedlings yesterday. I brought in my mini-greenhouse the day before due to the winds. I put it out along with my seedlings yesterday but forgot to put the patio blocks on the bottom rack. Later on in the day, the entire greenhouse tipped over and upended everything. Uggh. Spent last night replanting the seedlings in new pots.

[Amateurinawe]

[mention]ponyexpress[/mention] oh I feel for you. It happened to me a few years back but I did put broken paving slabs on the base to stabilise it. I just didn't account for the sudden strong winds which would whip it up and unceremoniously throw it to the ground, tipping the contents of every pot and seedling onto the ground. Hope you managed to save somethings.

[Paquebot]

Forgive me for laughing when I read of the little greenhouses toppling over. My son bought me on about 10 years ago and set it up. We put a light in there for extra warmth and it was real cozy. Had it anchored well according to instructions. For a test, we only put the onion seedlings in there. Lasted about a week before a major wind came through and over it went. Of course, the onion containers all landed upside down. That was the end of that thing!

Martin

[Amateurinawe]

lol [mention]Paquebot[/mention] They are handy and cheap but you are right , if the weather and winds are not kind then they are pretty much like a kite ready to take off...

However, if you can find a sunny corner out of the wind they are a handy space to protect some plants

[ponyexpress]

This is not the first time the green house tipped over. It happened last year but I wasn’t using patio blocks.

I might try to put mine closer to the house for protection but it will make it more difficult to put plants inside. I really need to make myself another hoop house.

I’m also going to make a big reminder note to myself to check for patio blocks.

[ponyexpress]

My seedlings have been moved to new pots. They seem to be doing ok after the greenhouse tipped over. Notice the thickness relative to the toothpick? They’re doing better than last year.

214C87B1-4DF9-464F-A06B-843BE401A4FA.jpeg

[MrBig46]

The plan didn't work out. I still have the seedlings at home, because it got a lot cold (tonight - 7 ° C) and even in the tunnel they would probably freeze. Warming will not come until Thursday.

[wykvlvr]

Wry grin my onions did get planted but I think it is very late. My seeds were planted 18 March and are already coming up nicely. Our last frost date is mid May in a good year but we can get snow at any time... I do have back up plants ordered but I really hope the Dakota Tears works well as they are supposed to be a nice storage onion. The other things I planted are Alisa Craig onions, King Sieg leeks and some of the Diverse Shallots from the swap.

[Paquebot]

Pony, your seedlings look great with 3 leaves already. The best place for them now is in the ground. I've transplanted with less and will be doing so this year. I was given some 3-year Yellow Sweet Spanish Utah seeds and they are just emerging. Planted golden and red shallots and bottle onion sets on 10 March. Waiting for the Jung's store to stock the Dixondale plants but they won't be down until next week. It will be interesting to see what they look like this year.

Martin