That's very interesting! Thanks for the info.



I planted a set but ran short of onions so bought some young
plants/seedlings from a local nursery. With all the rain all the onions are
blackened and will have to be pulled up before they rot but the bought young
plants are definitely far healthier than the set.



I intend to grow Red Baron and had thought of Ailsa Craig but in view of
what you said about them keeping will look into other varieties.



We also plant what is known on the Allotments as "Japanese Onions" - no one
has ever queried what variety these are (I certainly haven't and those I
asked didn't know what they were other than "Japanese Onions"! Well, they
didn't do very well at all this year, due, again, to the heavy rains so I'm
planning on growing "Hi Keeper F1" over winter instead.



Who knows, however, we may have a drought next year just like last!



Regards



John



"JNTDAD" wrote in message
...


I have grown sets this year (Sturon, Setton and Red baron) due to local
damp conditions half the sets have grown to a reasonable size but about
50% have either bolted or the leaves have folded over early preventing
further growth - these have then lain on the wet ground and started to
rot. I have also grown Ailsa Craig from seed - started in Feb under
heated conditions in seed tray (on kitchen window sill) and when about
2.5" tall planted out 6" apart in final place in garden

The seed grown onions are still fully upright and continuing to grow
while the sets have all collapsed and I am now having to harvest early
- some are a good size (5" across) but smaller and less consistent than
the seed variety.

Unfortunately Ailsa craig are not renowned for keeping so will be
growing Red baron and Rinjsberger from seed next year.

--
JNTDAD