I have just purchased 5 bags of Santero onion sets for the princely sum of 10p a bag.
What's the latest anyone has planted sets and got results?
I only stand to loose 50p so thought it worth a punt.
I put some red sets and Centurion sets in last week!
You could always use them for spring onions if they don't bulb up?
You should get something from them, even if its "spring" onions.
2 weeks ago I planted my onion sets in the poly tunnel, and seeing green shoots already.
^^^ Thanks Can, you've given me an idea.
I've never had much luck with onions - they seem to sit in the ground for months and come out the same size as the sets that were planted! Perhaps I should try planting some sets in the GH in the soil around the bottomless tomato pots. The onions would benefit from the tomato feed and be watered regularly, unlike outdoors. Also, maybe the onions would act as a deterrent to the whitefly which has plagued the GH this year.
The soil in the beds is not very deep, 3-4 inches but, since the onions sit at the top of the soil this may not be a problem.
Any advice and opinions welcomed!!
(29-10-2023, 12:48 PM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]^^^ Thanks Can, you've given me an idea.
I've never had much luck with onions - they seem to sit in the ground for months and come out the same size as the sets that were planted! Perhaps I should try planting some sets in the GH in the soil around the bottomless tomato pots. The onions would benefit from the tomato feed and be watered regularly, unlike outdoors. Also, maybe the onions would act as a deterrent to the whitefly which has plagued the GH this year.
The soil in the beds is not very deep, 3-4 inches but, since the onions sit at the top of the soil this may not be a problem.
Any advice and opinions welcomed!!
They've got two chances. You'll, quite rightly, still give it a try even if we all say dont bother. Personally I think it's a brilliant idea.
I have some onion sets planted outdoors which are three inches high now. I also have loads still to plant, but my priorities are getting my Aquadulce broad beans sown...................that's if it ever stops raining?
Having just bought 100 onion sets, I've been wondering how many I could fit in a 2'6" square bed.
Gardener's World say "There's no need to soak onion sets before planting. Plant them 10-15cm apart, allowing 30cm between rows. Plant them just below the soil surface".
My question to the Panel is - why should you leave 30cms between rows when you could put another row in there, especially if they were planted diagonally between the rows. Please don't say its to leave space to weed as I shall ignore that advice.
I would have thought most of them, specially if you have a slightly big square yard. Using 4" spacing, 9 to a sq. ft. gives 81 to the yard.
http://www.mysquarefootgarden.net/onions/
6 inch spacing would only give 36.
On occasion I've plonked the excess onion sets inbetween the rows with no problems that I know about. Even with sets I still find some onions flourish but there are some that stubbornly stay small. When have you ever bothered with planting distances Veggie? Imagine how big your onions want to be and bung them in accordingly.