Onions

[Newtothis]

On Friday we went to a plant festival at a local church and one of the kids activities was to sow onion bulbs in compost filled plastic cups. Not having any experience with onions and no more room in the borders to plant anything else, I put it in one of these troughs where I had also sown some spring onions and radishes. There is probably a couple of inches of gravel at the bottom. Is this deep enough for onions? We have sown one white and one red. Also is this not too late in the year for them, and when will I know that they are ready if they are successful?

[Lesley Jay]

Hi NTT, the trough should be fine - you need to aim for a depth of 25cms for onions and the planter is deeper than that. Yes, it is getting a bit late, but the kids onions will still grow into useable sized onions. When onions are ready the foliage dies, turns brown and a couple of weeks later they are ready to lift and store. But I also pull the odd one up early if it is a nice size and I fancy using a juicy fresh onion!

[Newtothis]

Thanks Lesley, haha I've just realised that we will only get two onions from those sets. I had an idea of a few being produced per set. It's amazing how little you can know about veg until you grow it first hand. Or maybe that is just me

[Hollie the Wollie]

This is so useful! I sowed seeds for onions at the start of April - they don't seem to be doing alot but I guess they are doing more underground!

Good luck with them Ntt!

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Hollie, onions sown from seeds should take about 24 weeks to grow - so that would mean that your onions will be ready to harvest about the end of September. You will need to lift them and then spread them out to dry ready for storing over the winter.

[Lesley Jay]

Originally Posted by Newtothis

Thanks Lesley, haha I've just realised that we will only get two onions from those sets. I had an idea of a few being produced per set. It's amazing how little you can know about veg until you grow it first hand. Or maybe that is just me

Hi NTT, take my word for it, those two onions will be the juiciest, tastiest onions that you have ever eaten!!!

[Hollie the Wollie]

Originally Posted by Lesley Jay

Hi Hollie, onions sown from seeds should take about 24 weeks to grow - so that would mean that your onions will be ready to harvest about the end of September. You will need to lift them and then spread them out to dry ready for storing over the winter.

Thanks so much. I am sure I will be here in September checking that "it's time" hehe!

[Newtothis]

Originally Posted by Lesley Jay

Hi NTT, take my word for it, those two onions will be the juiciest, tastiest onions that you have ever eaten!!!

Oh good I can't wait

[mfc]

I bought 3 of those afew months ago. Garlic in 1, lettece in another and spring onions in the last 1. Spring onions are pritty useless though.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi MFC, why not try a Japanese bunching onion instead of traditional spring onions. They are the same but the bunching onion doesn't form a bulb so there is no need for successional sowing and they stand perfectly in the ground until needed. Ishikura is one variety that I have grown.

Onion seeds - Salad, Bunching and Spring Onion seeds