Rookie question

[GardenRN]

New to onions as of last spring. I have read a few things about people planting the onions in the fall, just like garlic for a harvest the following ear. Is that right? I know they are in the same family, so in that respect it makes sense. But I don't know, the onion plant doesn't feel as hardy to me. What does everyone else do? Btw I am in zone 7.

And if we do plant in the fall, and you don't have your own onion sets from last year, where do you get em? All of the nurseries and big box stores carry the sets in early spring. Maybe that's a sign that I should be planting in the spring.

[Father's Daughter]

I had good luck starting with seeds instead of sets. I started them indoors in late January, I think I planted them out in early April, and harvested in early August. I grew Tropea onions, a red Italian variety that doesn't grow large, but I had a good harvest of onions somewhere between golf ball and baseball size. So if you don't want to wait for sets to come out, maybe pick up a packet of seeds this winter and give it a try!

[GardenRN]

I'm assuming I'll need to start the seeds indoors then? I can't imagine they'd do that much growing with it being so cold out. Last night it got down to 29*F and back up to 62* today. Which is pretty much what it will be doing until Jan when it really starts to stay in the 20's around the clock.

[digitS']

. . . So if you don't want to wait for sets to come out, maybe pick up a packet of seeds this winter and give it a try!

I think that's excellent advice and it is what I do! Yes, indoors.

In your zone 7 location, you can probably start onions from seed in September to overwinter. I can't consistently get away with that here in zone 5 winters - the Walla Walla sweet onions tend to bolt to seed after our subzero winters.

Steve
walla walla, wa has zone 6 winters.

[GardenRN]

Well I'll give it a try. If I remember correctly it takes a good while for the sets to get to the size you see in the stores when started from seeds. If I am going to plant them outside in late feb, any advice on when I should start the seeds inside? I'm thinking around Dec 1st?

[digitS']

I start them earlier than that, Jeff - but, they are in an unheated greenhouse. I have to set them on the floor & cover them or the containers of seed/seedlings would freeze during many February nights.

If you have warm conditions, onion seedlings don't really need more than 8 weeks. They may be small even then but transplant well. Once established out in the open garden they can begin to make real growth.

Onions can take quite a bit of cold, altho' I'd bet it is often the cause for premature bolting to seed. Indoors, they may have problems with too much warmth but I don't know that to be true. Their time in the greenhouse is mostly before I've turned the heat on in there in March. By that time when they could be enjoying some warmth, they may be outdoors toughening up for their time in the open garden.

Steve

[img]https://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/Digit_007/onionssnow.jpg[/img]