Onions from seed questions

How did you kill your onions, JennGroves?

I transplanted them.. I think if i touch anything I kill it..

NO, NO! You should be able to do it. Give it another try. IMO onions are pretty tough plants.

Dean

They wilted up and died. My little girls ask what I did to their plants. The little one told me it looked pitiful! lmao

Oh No! I feel for your little girls.

Yes you should.. Someone is going to have to ban me from the garden because I cannot get anything to live.

Jenn onions are pretty tough I would try giving them a good misting with MG or fish kelp and let them be a while maybe they are just experiencing trans plant shock. You still have time to start over they will just mature a little later.

I have had my share of wrecks over the years and while they don't happen very often anymore
they can still happen.

Did you just lift the onions and set them down on the new pot surface? No matter what happened just try again. Ernie

I am going to start a new flat tonight.. I let me girls help me, plus I do not think I did it right from the get go. To many seeds, and I do not think they were strong enough to move.. I am going to direct sow some also..

Jenn, I think direct sowing will work well for "green onions" that you pick when little... but I think you have to start them ahead if you want them to be big by the end of summer. My friend Irene plants them seed by seed in little plug trays, the kind that have like 96 cells per flat. I don't think she pre-sprouts her seed, but you could plant 2 seeds per plug and then cut one seedling later to thin them... that way, you won't have empty cells.

Does anybody else start onions Irene's way, in plug trays?

I did but I don't I prefer 4 inch pots or deep boxes like 5 to 6 inches I find plug trays tedious to fill and hard to water right.Maybe now that I am retired I should try it again.

Okay---Last year my Walla Wallas sat in their original flat too long and the roots were all over the bottom and going everywhere, but I gently untangled them and planted (in March here) and they became big beautiful onions by July--maybe Aug. First, though, I plant them pretty far apart in the flat and not overcrowded. I do cut the tops also when they become too long. I think gentle, gentle with an easy hand is key. They can take lots of manuvering and untangling and even be out in the air awhile without too much stress. After planting water them in really good. Mine never go in a warm room either. I want them tough when they go out. I grow seedlings in a very cool greenhouse. Well, on sunny days it warms up lots, but we have many gray and rainy days in spring. My leek seeds should arrive any day. Hope it isn't too late for them. They are a small variety, I think, so should be okay. With just the two of us I don't plant too many of each kind. Now I wish I had planted some cippolini. I have never tried them but have read about them in Territorial. I just love growing onions.

cipps are sweet little onions that look neat braided with garlick and shallots. I got some red ones last year I think maybe from Johhnys they were called red marvel I think but could have been red marble good keepers still some in my braid hanging in the kitchen.

Ummmmm, cippolini. Those are my favorites, and they did very well for me last year, though I cheated and bought slips! I am trying seeds again this year, but they didn't do well for me in the first 2 attempts. Since they are 2005 and 2006 seeds, I'm not expecting much. If they don't germinate in a couple of weeks, I'll plant the rest of my seeds. If those don't germinate, I'll still have time to get slips!

Good luck with your second attempt. You know we'll all be "rooting" for you!!!

Janice I also planted 2005 and 2006 seed and have such a poor germ rate Dixondale will be delevering march 15 to the rescue lol CRASH. Only problem the red C isn't available from them oh well I can buy a few for the braids.

Bee I have pretty good luck just shaking and teasing the slips to untangle them.

Jenn see I just admitted a crash lol like I said everyone gets them from time to time especially when trying new things. Now pitter patter gotta get atter even if its wrong. Ernie ps now this is the way to put fert on the garden lol

This message was edited Feb 20, 2008 7:52 AM

I just happened to see this post. I have always grown a few Egyption Onions and last year started growing Catawissa Onions. Because of space I grow these in containers. I like using the tops in dishes I prepare. Some one is sending me Amish Bottle Onion seed; it is like looking for a needle in a haystack for these! I am told it takes about three years to get them to mature. Anyone here grown these before?
Shoe and others are making me hungry for fresh onions! Who cares about "onion: breath! lol
Gary

Isn't Catawissa an Egyptian onion?

I LOVE the Egyptian Walking onions - first time I ever grew them was last year, but now I will never be without them.

Same thing for multipliers. At first I almost discarded them as a "will not grow again", but then I let some of them lie around on my kitchen counter for some time, and when I used one again it had "cured" and was SO good. They keep so well, and now they are another "will always grow" item for me! Thank God I still had some saved so I could replant and grow them for this year.

This year was also my first for planting onions in the fall. Can't wait to see how they are doing by May! I am hoping they'll be ready to eat by then!!

Boel

Catawissa Strain (1885) This strain of onion is the tallest of the Egyptian onions, believed to have originated near Catawissa, PA and is only a slight modification of the Egyptian tree onion. The "Vegetable Garden" by Vilmorin-Andrieux first published in English in 1885 describes this American strain of onion. This variety can grow to over two and a half feet in height. Because of the large diameter of the hollow green portion of the plant, it is excellent for stuffing with cream cheese or other spreads. It's sets are reddish-brown and it has a unique habit of producing top-sets out of the top-sets that develop on the plant, which in part accounts for the plants unusual height. It is extremely winter hardy and has been grown as far north as Alaska. Egyptian Walking Onions, Top-set onions, tree onions, or walking onions are various names used to describe a family of very hardy perennial, multiplying, top setting onions. They produce table ready green onions (scallions) from top or bottom sets. They produce small bulblets on the end of the stalks in the second year of the plant's growth. Some varieties ( and Catawissas are definitely one of them) produce a second clump of top-sets out of the first cluster of sets. This type is often referred to as a tree onion because of these branching characteristics. These could possibly be used in flower arrangements. As the weight of the bulbs increases the plant stalks fall to the ground, which may be as much as two feet from the parent plant. The bulbs waste no time in putting down roots. This is why these varieties are sometimes referred to as a walking onion. If you do not want the plant to spread throughout your garden, the top-sets should be harvested. The flavor of these top-sets is somewhat spicy. They are delicious pickled. In addition to producing top-sets, the parent plant divides at the base producing an abundant supply of green scallions for salads, gazpacho and other soups or casseroles. When harvesting, always be sure to leave at least one onion in the ground so the plant will continue to multiply and keep you supplied with onions for a lifetime.
http://www.garys-genealogy.com/id85.htm

Ecellent information - thanks, Gary! I've lost 2 so far, but I think I will plant them again - under better circs.

Thanks, Gary. That was very interesting. My Egyptians don't seem to be nearly that tall, so guess i don't have the Catawissa strain? I am going to try pickling the top sets for sure. I never knew what to do with them before now.
I would like to try multiplier onions sometime. I do have Poor Mans Leeks. Maybe they are the same as multiplier onions as they do multiply.

I got a chance (finally) to chat with my friend who starts a zillion sweet onions from seed each year. She pre-sprouts the seed between moist paper towels in a zip-loc bag. Then she uses tweezers (!) to plant the seeds, one by one. If she's using 144-cell trays, she puts 1 sprouted seed per cell. With 72 cell trays, she puts 2 sprouted seeds per cells. She says she doesn't bother thinning... most of them end up thinning themselves, so to speak, and there's usually about enough room in the row for the occasional double plug in the garden. She starts them in January, and I think she plants them out around the same time as her tomatoes, or maybe a bit sooner (I'll have to check back with her on that).

I have tried pre-sprouting in paper towels, but not onions. Once though, I got busy and didn't check soon enough and I had a tangled mess of roots in the paper. Tweezers is a good idea, but I am wondering how a plastic fork would be. Plastic would be kinder to the seedling than metal. Whatever works, though. I can't remember what kind of seedlings I
pre-sprouted. Tomatoes maybe. Anyway, its a good method, but don't forget to check.

You'd never pick up teeny onion seeds with a plastic fork... well, at least I know I couldn't do it! The idea is to check them regularly, as you suggested... you want to be potting up the sprouted seeds when they barely have little "tails" so they're easy to handle. I'm guessing as long as you use the tweezers on the hard seed and not the tender little root, they'll be fine. My friend starts over a thousand onions each year by this method. :-)

Yes, the plastic fork would be too hard. I guess I was thinking of when I remove seedlings from a flat. Thats when I use a plastic fork and it works well for me. But, the tiny onion seedlings would be too minute. I hope I remember the paper towel method next year.

Boel...great thread. Sorry I'm late to the dance...been on the run for a while. Just wanted to dito Ernie's method of using 4-inch peat pots. I tried the flat method in 2006 and had a difficult time extracting roots from the wicker mat I placed in the bottom of the flat. Even with loosing more than 75% of the root system the onion plants survived and did well. Next year same thing without the wicker mat, but I left town for 10 days and my sister-in-law didn't sufficiently water the onions flats and they failed. I ran out and purchased the last available plants from a local nursery and that's were I came across the peat pot method which works well for both onion seed and garlic. I clump planted the garlic seedlings, cutting as Ernie mentioned, and they did fine. However, be cautions as beebonnet suggests, roots are still tangled and you need to go easy.

I find Dean's comment on hardiness and watering interesting. I plant double onion rows using a soaker hose between the rows, and I water four times a day with a good soaking each time. I rarely loose any plants when transplanting even thought they look fragile Based on what I have read I probably over water. But, like Ernie I get some really nice looking onions even in a short growing season. Walla Walla (110 days) are my favorite but only last about 3 to 4 months in storage. I also do three long storage varieties each year.

Hand weeding down a double 60 foot row when plants are young is essentical. I do this rotating between three double rows. It takes a while and my back definitely feels it, but look at it from the bright side. It's a good workout before breakfast.

Attached is a picture of a flat of onions planted seven days ago. The seed Seque was left over from both 2005 and 2006 plantings. The flat Boel was placed on a 6ft heat mat from Grower's Supply which is suppose to raise the temperature approximately 20 degrees from room temperature which varies from 58 degrees F at night and around 60 % mid-day if the sun shines. Some of the peat pots are just now sprouting even though similarly planted seeds have already sprouted. That is probalby either a water or heat issue which was slightly different on one side of the flat. I planted about 60 seeds or more in each 4-inch peat pot and on close inspection even the unsprouted ones look like they are beginning to punch through the soil. I have removed the black plastic sheet which covered the clear lid of the flat and am removing the flat from the heat pad today.

This for me has been an easy method for planting onion seed. Actually I liked it well enough to try it with hot pepper seeds and tomato seeds. I have already transplanted the pepper seeds started on the 8th of this month to individual peat pots (18/tray) using the 7-inch clear domes. They are looking good. Tomato seed planting starts in a couple of days.

Ernie...question for you. What did you mean by using tubes for planting onions?

Mraider me thinks tubes is a typo for tubs either I had a crash this year from them or I just had weak seed because I had a crash and ended up buying plants of several types. I will try the deep tub again next november late or early dec

None of the first batch (4 pots) made it, but I replanted and the second batch of Globes are coming up strong - though a little on the late side. We'll see what happens with the others. To modify an old saying, "Hope springs eternal in an old broad's heart!"

Hi Ernie,

If I understand correctly from your post above, you plant your onions early January? When do you plant them out?

I started mine Feb 1, and this is a picture of them today.

Booel

OMG, Booel - now I AM jealous!!! Those are awesome!

Anyone looking for Red Sun shallots (crop failure at Moose Tubers) or Pikant shallots (out-of-stock at Johnny's Selected Seeds) can get both at The Maine Potato Lady (mainepotatolady.com). The Red Suns are certified organic and the Pikants are conventional. The Red Suns that I received are of excellent quality and the customer service was great.