Giant onions 2016

As @Scrungee pointed out, some growers start in October, so a few of us have made a sowing already.

Sorry for not posting this earlier, had, and still have computer problems

 

wow, that is early

i thought the early birds started on christmas day?

do they not bolt with the lack of light?

 

I used to sow a few pots at the end of January/early February in the greenhouse.
I haven't bothered for a while though preferring to buy sets now.

 

They certainly do. At least 16 hours per day, and I have heard of some who have them on for 24 hours at certain stages of growth. The trick with sowing early is not to let them know that its winter, otherwise come the spring as they are Biennials they will think its their second season of growth and start to produce seed.

 

I guess I'd better take these down under the lights after 6 now that I see how many hours of daylight they need! Being in zone 6, and first time trying to grow onions, I started early and will do successive small batch planting..

 

Went to make another sowing yesterday, found I only had 4 seeds left

Sowed them anyway, and Loli is posting me a few extras

The earlier sowing went out in Thomas Hardy's veg plot just before Christmas



Not in keeping with our plan to turn the veg patch back to Victorian times as the variety wasn't developed till 1950, but it'll give the visitors something different to see

They got 2 choices, they'll either bolt or bulb up

 

I just checked my little guys. They look like yours. I only have 10 as that is the number of pots I have set aside for them. I hope they all survive.

 

When we are talking about light are we talking about the ttal number of hours of light or the hours of uninterrupted dark. If I run my lights for 12 hours then interrupt the darkness a few times during their night, will that fool them into thinking they are having longer days?

 

I have a small heated propagator especially for these guys. I've not sown yet, planning to do it today. Any hints, tips or pictures of setups please?

 

Thanks @JWK Will have a gander at the flyer before planting.

 

D.T. Brown are selling Kelsae onion plants, £6.95 for 20 plants (limited availability) + £4.95 P&P.

http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/Onions-Garlic-1/ONION-The-Kelsae-Plants.html#.VoPKW-S942w

 

Isthat sweet orn growing too in your picture @JWK ? Only asking as I'm not sure the best time to plant those seeds either. I plan on learning an awful lot this year

My kelsae are in as of yesterday (04/01/16)
Also what kind of lights do people use? I can't really put the propagator on a windowsill as the dogs will knock/eat/play with it & the only windowsill they cant reach already has pots on it!