Autumn onions

Hi
I planted radar and senshyu onions late autumn last year they all sprouted but after the snow a week or so ago they have nearly all died back can see no leaves now, are they dead or is this normal or are they all dead ?

 

I think it depends how well drained your soil is. I grow autumn onion sets in a raised bed , because I'm on heavy clay,and I've tried to grow in the open beds without success. From my experience, they'll tolerate cold, but not cold and wet.

 

I dont think they should die back after the last cold spell, unless it was very much colder where you might be than me.

I'd leave them and see what happens.

 

I think it may be due to the cold/wet .after a period of mild weather that has caused them to produce too much soft green growth, possibly planted too early. Soil conditions are critical; you will probably succeed on light sandy soils but rather less likely on cold wet clay. Weather patterns are maybe changing, we will have to adjust some techniques to compensate. It may be as simple as planting on ridges ,or covering with tunnel cloches or accepting that spring planting is required.
I tried sowing some Stuttgart onions (too) early in the greenhouse, which is unheated.Were doing fine but have mainly damped off despite being kept relatively dry. Should have dusted with sulphur but did not.
There is plenty of time yet, if it were easy, then anybody could do it !

 

Bear1
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Hi, I also planted a few Radar Onion sets outside last October.
As you can see mine are doing OK.
They were covered in ice and snow, but appear to have survived