Should I give up on onions from seed?

Hi

I planted some 'Red Barron' onion seeds back in March. I also planted some carrots and lettuce from seed, both of which I can now see signs of growing. (The seed pots and garlic in the same bed are growing like crazy).

But not so with the onions - no sign of life at all! Should I just give up on these and use the area of veg patch for something else?

thanks

 

Hmm, I'm only a beginner gardener but that does seem rather a long time for onions! I planted some different onion seeds in April and they are certainly growing now. Just a few questions that might help:

1) Are they inside or outside? I planted mine inside in pots (I'm guessing yours are outside?)
2) How deep did you plant the seeds?
3) Is there any competition from other plants where you planted the seeds, or did you give them their own space in the bed?

 

From my admittedly limited experience of growing veg I have found that the biggest cause of seed failure-especially for onions is that they are too deeply sown. I have resorted to sprinklinng them on top of the soil and just -just covering them with a very very light dusting of sharp sand.

 

Thanks all

I reckon they're in too deep - I'll keep waiting!!

 

yes just giveem time and even if they dont get, tou should beable to still use them. think im gonna plant some more. from seed

 

If you really wanted onions and the current ones in the garden didn't germinate, could you start them off inside and them harden them off and put them outside? I don't know how onions react to doing it that way, but you can control the conditions to make it more favourable for germination and mine are proof that they can germinate fast, at least

 

Hi roger06. If they were sown in march, then I'd forget about those and sow again. I'm assuming they're a spring/salad onion ? If you're after full sized onions, it's way too late now, sorry.

Cheers...freddy.

 

Thanks. I'll just plant something else there then I think.

Any suggestions for the time of year?