Onions from seed?

Had a little google around and think I'll try some zebrune as well!

You lot have got me fancying some Simiane banana shallot seeds to grow them alongside my red torpedo onions and see which tastes/stores best?

How are/did peoples onions from seed turn out?

I lost my main crop to leaf miner but my Zebrune look cracking

Mine look like they will be much smaller this year. No water on plot still and a seriously dry spell certainly not helping

I grew from sets this year. 2 very different results. One raised bed was just onions and was in sunshine most of the time, onions are terrific only a few bolted. The other raised bed was slightly shaded but I also was growing cabbage plants in with the. Actually the cabbage plants were there first the onion sets were stuck in afterwards. These onions are much smaller and even more have bolted.

These were grown on their own
   

These are the ones grown with the cabbage 
   

These were grown on their own.
   

This is the size of my Bedfordshire Champions, should be nearly double that really and the plant looks to be about done.
   
Zebrune has done Ok again this year though despite the drought
   

How are yours doing Danny?

My zebrune stayed in their pot too long and never really got planted out. A disaster of my own making.

This is the size of my Bedfordshire Champions, should be nearly double that really and the plant looks to be about done.

Zebrune has done Ok again this year though despite the drought


How are yours doing Danny?

Hello mcdood,

I messed my Zebrune up early doors, onions were from sets, they are doing ok.

The reason I asked is I'm planning for next year, I'm going to try onion from seed for the first time.

So for next year I think I'm gonna start them in my Agralan 49 cell mini props then transfer to bigger cell trays before planting out.

I have 4 of them so will use them for leeks, zebrunes, onions, and hopefully the seeds saved from my walky leeks?!

I usually grow from sets and have generally been very please with both the quality and keeping ability of sturon and stur bc 20.

This year, for a change, I've grown bedfordshire champion from seeds. They look like they are doing well with most looking like they will make 8 to 12oz. but too soon yet to harvest. With sets, they would likely be hanging up already. As they are still looking white, last nights rain won't damage them. Will need to see how their quality and keeping ability compares.

So seeds are definitely cheaper but sets are a lot lest hassle.