So if you were me, what would you do if you did not have anywhere to grow a packet of onions from seed...... well you would get one of the empty maize sacks, cut it up, and make a bag big enough to put some compost in, then you would sow the seeds.
Which is what I did.
And the onions grew, but got to a point when they did not seem to want to develop any further.
I kept them watered, but found that the bag idea had a problem, which is that the compost dried out too quickly. It did not help that we have recently had a run of summer temperatures either.
And then we had a couple of days of torrential rain.
Wahooo!!!
So I had a chat with the onions and came to the mutual decision that it was time to send them out into the big world of the Veg Plots so that they could start growing onwards.
So, borrowing a teaspoon from the kitchen,
I burrowed my way underneath the onions, and gently lifted them up and out.
There does look like many onions, but I counted 120.
So then what do you do, when mid way through this job, the clouds arrive again.
Well you carry on, that is what you do, despite the drizzle that is now falling on your head.
Out into Veg Plot 1 we went,
and planted four rows of onions.
I think my thighs will take a day or two to get over the exercise,
but not to worry, the stretch will do them good, I think.
And so what do you do when strong winds suddenly come along,
and you do not want the lids of the propagator trays blowing away,
well you go indoors, raid your fabric stash, tear some strips of material up,
and go tie those lids on.
..... and looking quite pretty!
Meanwhile, the propagators are doing a good job of getting the seeds woken up,
.... this tray has only been planted for six days, and already I have taken out and transplanted seventeen seedlings. They are in the mini greenhouse now, thinking about whether or not they will carry on with growing onwards.
So our first crop of onions grown from seed are out in VP1.
My hands and fingernails says that this is so!
Need to go tidy myself up now, because I am off to the Bio organisation, which are the people who organize vegetable baskets from growers to consumers.
We are not growers yet, but we might well be in the future.
Bye for now,
Vx
11 comments:
I have never grown Onions from seed; I always buy sets. Mine are already edible as large spring Onions, but I try not to use too many as they are really meant for next autumn/winter.
CRO, we used to plants onion sets, but they tended to bolt. Growing onions from seed stops this from happening, and is a lot cheaper too!
Congratulations on your persistence. Your great efforts are reaping rewards. Also there is nothing more satisfying that using ingredients that are organically grown in your own garden. Bon week-end.
I grow from sets to, but I do have a couple of packets of seeds. Just need to remember to use them! Interesting about the bolting, ours were fine last year but not the year before. But oddly only the red ones bolted.
I'm growing from seed this year for the first time but I need a plot to put them into - all mine are full at the moment in the main garden! /are these going to be for market then? I figure if I do some veg boxes next year I'm going to need a lot of onions and shallots to make the boxes up!
We also grow from sets. I tried spring onion from seed this year and so few have come up. Well done ad I hope all continues to do well Diane
ELIZABETH, there is nothing like home grown produce....makes the commercially grown produce taste very lack lustre in comparison!
KERRY, I like using onion seeds because I know that we have grown them from start to finish ourselves. With onion sets they have already been half grown somewhere else!
KEV, ...... ah, the need for space! We still have plenty of room to keep planting veg, but even then it will be a squeeze to grow sufficient produce to sell! And we still do not have a poly tunnel / greenhouse, which is going to be a problem for growing produce during the winter. And I have not ever started planting the herb seeds yet! It is just as well that I love working on the market garden project, even though I am not sure how we are going to make it work!
DIANE, my spring onion seeds have been patchy in growth as well, but they were planted just before we had an unexpected spell of cold weather so I think that damaged the sprouting seed. Now I plant all seeds in seed trays first, then plant them out into the vegetable gardens when they are old enough. This stops the battle with the weeds versus the sprouting seed!
I've grown loads in low row covers this year covered with either fleece or plastic. I've got kohlrabbi nearly ready, spinach and lettuce for the last few weeks (been selling lots of lettuces), baby beetroot ready this week, carrots a few weeks off, peas 4ft high. I don't have a polytunnel either but I think it's still possible. Keep me updated, I've pretty much decided I'm going to do it next year, create a bigger patch and just go for it!
KEV, well done for getting all that produce growing, and I do hope that you go ahead with your plans for next year. We are still building the infrastructure of the market garden, plus planting crops to feed our animals for next winter. I bought 15 propagation lids, which fit on to seed trays, to help get the seedlings moving along quicker, and they have worked wonderfully well. Seeds up within a week, much quicker than the mini greenhouse. I also bought some seed cells to put in the seed trays. Out of five small cells I was able to prick out 23 brassica seedlings!
Looks like you will have lots of goodies in the near future. We have had ample rain to the point it's messing with my gardening.
LISA, .....and we have had hardly any rain at all this year so we are having to water by hand!
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