Onion seeds

Hi all I've planted a load of onion seeds in modules loads have germinated some are about 1-1/2 to 2 inches high how long should I leave them in the modules also do I pot them on or plant them straight out in the garden please this is my 1st time growing from seed & not sets I only planted the seeds about 4 weeks ago in my polytunnel any help please cheers Mick

 

If you look closely at your seedlings, you may see that the stalks are bend double (the crook neck stage), I should wait until the seedlings are standing tall and straight then transplant. Cheers, Tony.

 

and I thought it was because i was laying fleece on the top of them, I dint know that, top tip

 

Thanks Tony some are at the crook neck stage & some are past that I had a look at dinner time & the ones past the crook neck are between 3 & 4 inch's but a very thin stalk. Also should I start to harden them off first out of the pollytunnel. cheers Mick

 

Thin out to the strongest per module and leave remaining "in-situ" for now. ie,1 per module and WAIT 'til they get to the 3 true leaf stage........ that's when they start to "take off" so plant them on into, a rich "home" either in pots or trays, still too early to plant out!

What am I doing? helping the opposition?

Nah, forget all the previous advice...... joke! good luck, just don't do better than me, I love my onions :lol

 

cheers Vince I think I'm going to have some very nice & very large onions this year

 

What Vince said. Although I sow mine in a seed tray and then prick out to small modules (about 1cm square I would guess) at the crook-neck stage. If you have sown directly in modules then just thin to one-per-module.

When you plant out the roots will probably be all coiled round at the bottom of each cell,. Make sure you gently straighten them out and plant them vertically (make s "slit" with a trowel, and get the roots in as deep as they will stretch). The "bulb" will have just started to form, so try to get that pretty much at surface level, just slightly below, rather than "burying it" !