Onion setback

Firstly, sorry for any offence I may have caused, reading through the thread , I may have gone a bit over the top once or twice?

I'll be sowing my next years onions on or around 26th December this year, Kelsaes and I'm gonna try Ailsaes, I'll use a heated propagator to germinate the seed but NO artificial light

I'll try and keep a diary for those interested.

This year has been a disappointment, only 6 onions over the 1kg mark and not by much!

I'll post some pictures soon.

 

I'll be using lights.

 

Hmmm ... I used lights on my seedlings the first time I grew them, then had a fright that bulb-bulking-up is based on day length and thought I may have over-lighted them (i.e. too many hours-per-day). They were fine, but maybe it is something worth considering. But I know diddly squat about growing BIG onions ... if mine get accepted by The Kitchen that's good enough for me!

 

I'm not aiming to grow a record busting onion, well I would be BUT I just can't justify the expense of installing an intricate lighting system when the welfare of our VERY large family take precedence, onions are poison to dogs and we have 12!

 

Hiya Vince.
I for one would be very interested to follow next years progress. I grow from seed every year, so any tips passed on would be well received. I only grow onions for the table, but like most folks (I guess)I wouldn't mind if they were of a good size I'm guessing that at some stage you'll be preparing the ground?

Cheers...Freddy

 

Keeping quiet eh? Not gonna let us in on all that 'jiggery pokery'?

 

If he told you, he'd have to kill you

 

Obviously a serious business, growing onions...

 

Sorry for the delay!

Freddy, I'll be preparing my NEW onion bed next month, I'm ordering in some sterilized top soil and multi-purpose compost because of the white rot. To this I will add a copious amount of horse manure and maybe sharp sand should drainage be an issue...... I'm using a raised bed for the bigguns but the maincrop (Bedfordshire Champion and Long Red Florence) will have a similar bed provided either in the garden or up the allotment, good drainage being the issue!

I'll be sowing my seed in heated (about 15c) propagators on 26th December, once germinated I'll lower the temp to about 12c and transplant into small pots at the "crooked" stage.

I'll be using Levingtons F2 for sowing and John Innes No 2 for growing on.

It's been a bad year for onions BUT....





That larger tomato weighs in a over 1LB and there are a few 1KG onions in the photo!

 

You've done well there for the weather Vince I would have been better off eating the sets this year.

 

Thanks Zigs and they were all grown from seed!

 

So when are you going to Kill Freddy & can we watch?

 

I hope Freddy will pm me his address, I'll happily send him some seed and will be the first to congratulate him if he grows a monster.........


.......... didn't think I'd be stupid enough to give away ALL my secrets?

 

Ooops, don't want anyone to think the previous posts were misleading, it may seem that way on reflection?

The only one secret is what I feed them with and I ain't telling 'cos I haven't perfected it yet (obviously)

 

Oy ! Who's side are you on!? Why I oughta....

Vince, I'm sorry but I may have given the wrong impression. I'll just be growing for the table, and won't be sowing until late February. I find it very difficult to provide the conditions necessary to be successful at keeping them going, when sown that early. Thanks for your very kind offer though

PS...Nice onions!

Cheers...Freddy