Yet another onion set thread

Last year many of my cheapo (poundland) onion sets bolted. The seed sown ones, whilst smaller, didn't.  I'm planning on sowing some seed onions today to give them a bit longer growing period than last year.

I noticed D T Brown advertising heat treated sets at an eye-watering price compared to Poundland or Home Bargains.  What's the team think of heat treated onion sets and have you used them to advantage.  TBH no matter the advantage I can't see me forking out £9.70 for 160 ish sets plus p&p when I can get the equivalent for a couple of quid. Plus I don't need 160.

As I understand it, Heat treated onion sets are less liable to bolting than non-treated sets. Having rarely grown any sort of inion that was much bigger than a set, I'm not the best person to advise you!

The main culprits for bolting are the red ones! This has always been true as I tried some last year thinking they may have gotten their act together after over 20 years of selling them they haven't!  I have now given up on red onions from sets,but prefer the torpedo shaped red onions grown from seed anyway.

Normal sets are easy and cheap. I can usually bargain for about 10% of them bolting, which I can live with!

I haven't tried heat treated sets as they are stupidly expensive and the extra price  would not cover the 10% expected loss?

What nmassively boosts the price up is the delivery charges, hence the reason I have already purchased my 100 x Centurian F1 onion set at a bargain delivery price of £1.30!

My experience with bolting onions is heat related, I sow mine in the poly tunnel in October last year, I sowed about 150-200, Andi lost about 50 to bolting but I pulled them as soon as they did and shared them with family and friends. They are good for soup curry stews etc.
The ones that survived are nearly ready for cleaning before storing. Have a look.

They look great, Can! You must use a lot of onions .

They look great, Can! You must use a lot of onions .

Yes Veggie we do I generally get them in early so I can get the right for storing and we usually get up to November December with them, won’t be happening this year. I also have some growing outside but they are being overgrown with mares tail. 

Some fine onions there, you could set up shop, or get a bike, beret and stripey jumper

Some fine onions there, you could set up shop, or get a bike, beret and stripey jumper