- rainbowgardener
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Re: Growing onions from seed.
Dunno.... I did this in Cincinnati where ground definitely freezes. Everyone's experience is different.
It's certainly possible to overwinter some onion varieties in the long/intermediate day areas, depending on how cold it gets, but this is not traditional practice. Onions exposed to cold can bolt the next year, ruining the crop, or straight up die, they are not bred for this like short day varieties. I did see Johnny's selling a variety "bridger" bred for this purpose.
Growing onions as a fall crop to bulb up in the fall is another story, this simply isn't going to work, by any conventional wisdom at least, as the day lengths and temperatures aren't there. If you are able to do it by all means please fully document the experience including variety and planting dates.
Growing onions as a fall crop to bulb up in the fall is another story, this simply isn't going to work, by any conventional wisdom at least, as the day lengths and temperatures aren't there. If you are able to do it by all means please fully document the experience including variety and planting dates.
- applestar
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Subject: Trying Onion Sets.. in my area?
applestar wrote:Wow you are pretty far north according to Wiki
Although typically, onion sets are said to be ready to plant about one month to 6 weeks before last average frost once the ground has thawed, you may want to consider seriously freeze hardy varieties. At first glance you seem to have chosen ones that are popular in UK, and that would be good in terms of latitude and day length -- and you must have some really long days during the summer! --but most of UK's lowest temperature climate can be comparatively milder than where you are, I think?Location of Labrador City in Labrador
Coordinates: 52°57′N 66°55′W
Country Canada
Province Newfoundland and Labrador
What you would need to watch out for is killing freeze that could wipe out bulb onions. According this, Walla Walla variety and most potato/multiplier onions are hardiest and can survive down to 5°F (-15°C):
https://www.slideshare.net/SustainableMa ... wling-2013
Besides Walla Walla which is the only one I had heard about, Candy and Bridger are also killing freeze hardy varieties, according to this article:
Plant onions for overwintering now - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyl ... story.html
I can understand your wanting to save the greenhouse and cloche covered space, but you may still want to give them some protection with simple hoops and row covers?
That's about all I can think of. You must face some really challenging conditions. Hopefully other members from similar climate will contribute.
I can't really grow from sets. They are not available here and it is very hard to find any company willing to send live plants except for bareroot roses to Hawaii, so I have to start from seed. I grow Texas granex which is the same as the Maui Sweet onions. It is not just zone that is important but also microclimate. Like the Vidalia onions or Maui onions here, just planting that variety does not guarantee a good result. The seed is one thing but the soil, temperature, elevation, light, and water have to be just right.
The commercial onions here grow in Kula which is at a high elevation on the slopes of Haleakala in volcanic soil. It gets a lot of sun and it is much cooler there. The seed is from Texas a small Pecos onion variety. It is very sweet because it is low in sulfur and has a high water content. The down side is that it does not keep very long. The best planting date for onions here is October 15.
The commercial onions here grow in Kula which is at a high elevation on the slopes of Haleakala in volcanic soil. It gets a lot of sun and it is much cooler there. The seed is from Texas a small Pecos onion variety. It is very sweet because it is low in sulfur and has a high water content. The down side is that it does not keep very long. The best planting date for onions here is October 15.
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- Greener Thumb
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Besides my Candy seeds I also planted some Texas Granex plants that I got in a bundle from a big box store. They were old and didn't look too healthy and marked down in price, but thought I'd give them a try; they hardly cost anything. Didn't think they were doing too well; I didn't give them much attention. But, the other day I pulled one since the tops are starting to fall over. I was so surprised to get a decent onion, fairly large.
The store had some long day varieties too that they shouldn't even be selling around here, but you know how the big box stores are! Thanks to what I've learned on this forum I chose the short day granex!
The store had some long day varieties too that they shouldn't even be selling around here, but you know how the big box stores are! Thanks to what I've learned on this forum I chose the short day granex!
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Some of the Texas Granex onions have sent up a flower stalk. I think it's because they were neglected for so long, or stressful weather or whatever. But, I was wondering if I save the seeds and plant them next year, will I get a true variety? Also, if I cut the flowers off now while they're blooming will the seeds be fully formed or do I need to wait until they're all done? I was afraid if I wait too long the seeds might all fall onto the ground and be lost.
( I noticed the insects really like the onion blooms) I actually saw a tarantula hawk on one today. wasps too.
( I noticed the insects really like the onion blooms) I actually saw a tarantula hawk on one today. wasps too.
- jal_ut
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It is not unusual for onions started from sets to send up a flower stalk. That is after all the plants mission, to reproduce. When you see these flower buds, just clip them off with about six inches of the stem. You can use these buds for eating or flavoring same as you would use an onion.
About the seeds, you will need to leave the flower cluster on long enough for the seeds to get fully ready. Don't yank them too soon.
About the seeds, you will need to leave the flower cluster on long enough for the seeds to get fully ready. Don't yank them too soon.
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Yes, I've noticed my Candy onions I did from seed are doing great and not showing any signs of sending up a stalk. I thought if I save some Granex seeds for next year maybe they'll do the same.
I only bought the granex plants on a whim and thought I'd see what happened. Though some have gone to seed, I am getting a lot of good onions too. Thx for the info!
I only bought the granex plants on a whim and thought I'd see what happened. Though some have gone to seed, I am getting a lot of good onions too. Thx for the info!
No one said anything about planting seed (directly). I am talking about starting transplants indoors or buy transplants. You can often get them at garden centers, or buy directly from Dixondale. They have much less propensity for bolting. I have done it all 3 ways and will never plant sets again. I have onions like that this year from seed started indoors in January. But, hey, whatever you are happy with.
- rainbowgardener
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- applestar
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I need to do a systematic dedicated experiment --
It turns out that Candy is one of overwinter-able varieties. Being a day-neutral intermediate, this is probably still your best choice,@ Rainbowgardener.
I've casually tried sowing Walla Walla in the fall and covering the row with plastic low tunnel. The ones at the sturdiest double-layered end didn't make it, but the ones that came undone and flappy did. I might have some WW seeds left but if I'm going to compare, I probably should get fresh seeds....
I'd like to try Bridger too but availability seems to be limited to Johnny's and I'm not sure I can afford their high seed price out of my rapidly dwindling gardening budget. But Bridger seems to be the MOST winter hardy, according to descriptions.
I could probably pick up Candy seeds at a more reasonable cost... But my location seems to be at northern edge of intermediate onion growing areas.
I have to decide soon -- I need to start them in August according to one source.
It turns out that Candy is one of overwinter-able varieties. Being a day-neutral intermediate, this is probably still your best choice,@ Rainbowgardener.
I've casually tried sowing Walla Walla in the fall and covering the row with plastic low tunnel. The ones at the sturdiest double-layered end didn't make it, but the ones that came undone and flappy did. I might have some WW seeds left but if I'm going to compare, I probably should get fresh seeds....
I'd like to try Bridger too but availability seems to be limited to Johnny's and I'm not sure I can afford their high seed price out of my rapidly dwindling gardening budget. But Bridger seems to be the MOST winter hardy, according to descriptions.
I could probably pick up Candy seeds at a more reasonable cost... But my location seems to be at northern edge of intermediate onion growing areas.
I have to decide soon -- I need to start them in August according to one source.
I was excited to grow bridger, until I realized it will not bulb up until the long days of summer just like any other onion, offering only the convenience of not growing starts, at the loss of a good variety of selections... looks like a pretty generic onion.
Walla Walla is a very nice onion... I might try overwintering some. I didn't realize it was hardy, thanks for sharing.
Walla Walla is a very nice onion... I might try overwintering some. I didn't realize it was hardy, thanks for sharing.
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I was thinking that too; that if I start plants from those seeds they might produce plants with the propensity to go to seed early also. And yet, somebody somewhere along the line had to get their plants to go to seed to get the seeds. Maybe some controlled environment forces the plants to produce seeds on purpose?Peter1142 wrote:Yes, you don't want to save seeds from bolters.
Just to be sure I'm on the same page with everyone else, when one talks of sets, you mean the actual plants that come in bundles that look like little green onions, or do you mean the little bulbs that come in the net bags? Or are the little plants in bundles called plants and not sets? (I think we're all in agreement as to what seeds are)!
Peter, I noticed in your onion photos you trimmed your greens back. Does that help, and do you do that only once?
They produce seed in a normal two year cycle...at least I would assume so. It is not bolting when they go to seed after doing what they are supposed to do.
Sets are the tiny bulbs that come in a bag. The green plants in bundles are transplants.. not sets.
I trimmed the foliage frequently, before transplanting... honestly I am not sure if it made much of a difference.
Sets are the tiny bulbs that come in a bag. The green plants in bundles are transplants.. not sets.
I trimmed the foliage frequently, before transplanting... honestly I am not sure if it made much of a difference.