Onion sets..a cry for help!

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by noisette47, Oct 21, 2019.

  1. noisette47

    noisette47 Total Gardener

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    Normally I would have planted my onion sets by now, but I simply can't find any here of the type I want. I wonder if some kind soul in UK could track down 500g of a yellow, round variety and post them over to me. UK suppliers won't send them outside of UK. It's crazy, as they come from Holland anyway, but literally the only choice available here is Sturon (flattened) or Stuttgarter (flat). I've looked at the Dutch supplier sites but they'll only sell wholesale :wallbanging:
    Obviously, I'll reimburse all costs (in £s ;)). Please PM me if you can help. TIA
     
  2. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    I am happy to do so, but know next to nothing about onion varieties - is there a particular variety you can think of? I have a garden centre immediately opposite my work, so can pop in there and get them for you?
     
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    • ricky101

      ricky101 Total Gardener

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      Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
    • noisette47

      noisette47 Total Gardener

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      Hi ricky101, Kings is one of the companies I looked at but they don't deliver 'plants' i.e. sets.
      Sturon is round or flattened, depending which site you look at :biggrin: I've grown them in the past and they were definitely not round! Setton looks a good bet. Thanks for your help :)

      @Fat Controller ...bless you! If you happen to come across any of the following: Troy, Radar, Setton, Shakespeare or Autumn Champion, they'd do nicely.
      I'm wondering whether perhaps there's been a crop failure in Holland this year, or whether they're just later than usual. Even the French online sales sites only seem to have Sturon or Stuttgarter in stock.
      If you can't find any others, not to worry. I'll just have to toddle off to the local market on a Monday morning in my floral pinny, wrinkly stockings and slippers, like the neighbours :roflol:
       
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      • ricky101

        ricky101 Total Gardener

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        Hi,

        Hopefully that garden center near @Fat Controller will have some sets, though generally do not see many around as they usually make way for the Christmas goods, not being seen until the new years stock comes in.

        Have only grown sets, but this page, (see all the way down) does suggest you can easily grow from seed in a season, which would mean your choice of onion is even better, worth a try ...? ... might try that method myself :smile:
        Why Planting Onion Seeds is Better Than Planting Sets (and how to do it right)
         
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        Onion sets from Wilkos are about half the price of same sized packs from garden centres (£2 for 50 sets). They sell Senshyu Yellow, plus others I forget and unfortunately they're not on their website and stock levels vary considerably between stores.

        If you don't get any @Fat Controller I shall be visiting a Wilko tomorrow, @noisette47 would Senshyu be OK? (I think they are semi-globe)
         
        Last edited: Oct 21, 2019
      • noisette47

        noisette47 Total Gardener

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        Hi Scrungee, that's very kind of you. Senshyu is about the same as (some) Sturon, which I can get here, so don't worry if you don't find any! I remember being livid when Wilkos used to clear out all the gardening stuff in August to make way for Christmas. I miss the bargains, though....
         
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        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          I was always under the impression that varieties of onion sets available for autumn planting was a bit limited anyway.
          Long time since I've grown from sets.
           
        • noisette47

          noisette47 Total Gardener

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          Could be, pete. When I first came over, I just planted what was available in the GC or supermarket...usually Sturon. And the resulting onions were round. More recently, I had a couple of years' crops that were still named 'Sturon', but the onions were flat. Horrible things to prepare, and very wasteful. I got by for the last couple of years by ordering online from French Co's, but as I said above, they've no stock either this year. Lack of choice is a feature of French life (apart from cheese and wine :biggrin:) so I really ought to be used to it by now :heehee: Can't really justify a £600 round trip to get a bag of onion sets, though :roflol:
           
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          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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            If I see any I'll grab them.:blue thumb:
             
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            • noisette47

              noisette47 Total Gardener

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              Thanks :) At this rate, the veg plot will be covered in....guess what? :roflol:
               
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              • Fat Controller

                Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                Right, bright spark here didn't take his phone to work so I have only just had a chance to look in on this thread. @Scrungee @pete - if you don't get them tomorrow, could you PM me and I will get across to the garden centre opposite work and see what they have available? And yes, I will take my phone to work tomorrow :heehee:
                 
              • pete

                pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                Well I won't be able to have a look until the weekend, so I'll keep an eye on this thread.
                 
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                • Fat Controller

                  Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                  I'll keep an eye on my phone today, and see if I can't escape the shackles of my desk for twenty minutes.....
                   
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                  • noisette47

                    noisette47 Total Gardener

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                    Any excuse to trawl round a GC, hmmm, FC?:biggrin:
                     
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