On 29 Dec, 18:54, (A.Lee) wrote:
michael wrote:
I am looking for advice for growing onion sets by sowing seed in the
summer months.The number of different varieties available as sets is
pretty limited,and I am wondering why one cannot grow ones own from
seed.Presumably sets are onions which have just begun to bulb up and
then saved fro the following season.I would be pleased if anyone has
had experience of doing this,and could let me know the
details.Cheers,michael

When I was younger with more time, I would always grow my onions from
seed, but alas, with the growth of my children, I seem to have less time
for gardening, hence only plant sets in March/April nowadays.

I used to nearly always grow the Ailsa Craig variety from seed. Sprinkle
them within the next 2-3 weeks onto compost on a seed tray, and keep
them indoors away from the frost/wind.
Pick out excess numbers when they have germinated, maybe a couple of
inches high. When around 3 inches high, transfer them to a larger tray,
or better still, into the small individual seed trays that 'plug' plants
are supplied in.
Come the end of March, transfer to the garden.
They will still be pretty insubstantial when planted, so you may lose a
few, but I found them to be far better growers than bought sets, and
there is the added bonus of an inner glow from growing them from seed.

Alan.

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Thanks for that Alan.I have grown onions as you describe,and you are
right when you indicate that they grow better than sets.However,I was
thinking of something quite different.I have a book on vegetable
growing from the 'Lost Gardens of Heligan',who indicate that it is
quite easy to grow your own sets by sowing seed after mid
summer,harvesting in early winter and then dry off in a warm place to
form sets.I tried this year,and only managed to produce very small
specimens.So I was hoping someone else had tried it with success.I
will try again,but I would really like some more detailsas to exactly
when to sow and harvest,Cheers,Michael