I have a packet of hybrid yellow onions, and it's about time to plant
them. I was planning to start them indoors in a flat, even though I
never have much luck doing that with leeks and onions. But occasionally
it works, and the seeds were cheap.

Anyway, it has been wonderfully and unseasonably warm here this week,
and the top inch of ground is thawed and muddy. Should I plant the
seeds outside in the freezing mud and let them come up on their own when
they are ready? There's probably 2 more months here of intermittant
cold weather and freezes. The ground is too wet to work, but I could
scatter them in a little patch and transplant them later.

Thanks, regards,
Bob

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Bob, I have a hard time with seeds myself. I can never get enough light on
them inside to keep them from getting leggy after sprouting. I am trying
something different this year. I am planting them in trays, and then as
soon as they sprout and start coming up, I set the trays outside in the
sunlight and bring them back in at night. That way they get sunlight and
they are hardened off at the same time.

I don't put them out where hard wind will reach them, nor do they go out if
it is going to get below freezing. I used to live in zone 7 and this worked
very well. Now I am in zone 5 and it is my first year to try it here.

I would try it both ways, but keep in mind the seeds don't like to lay in
water, and the seedlings don't want wet feet. Maybe you could make the
outside spot you mentioned a "slightly " raised bed for the seeds.

Have fun. Dwayne


"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
I have a packet of hybrid yellow onions, and it's about time to plant
them. I was planning to start them indoors in a flat, even though I
never have much luck doing that with leeks and onions. But occasionally
it works, and the seeds were cheap.

Anyway, it has been wonderfully and unseasonably warm here this week,
and the top inch of ground is thawed and muddy. Should I plant the
seeds outside in the freezing mud and let them come up on their own when
they are ready? There's probably 2 more months here of intermittant
cold weather and freezes. The ground is too wet to work, but I could
scatter them in a little patch and transplant them later.

Thanks, regards,
Bob

--
Have a Windows® computer that is powered on for hours at a time? Join
the search for a cure for cancer: http://grid.org/projects/cancer/

Dwayne wrote:

Bob, I have a hard time with seeds myself. I can never get enough light on
them inside to keep them from getting leggy after sprouting. I am trying
something different this year. I am planting them in trays, and then as
soon as they sprout and start coming up, I set the trays outside in the
sunlight and bring them back in at night. That way they get sunlight and
they are hardened off at the same time.

I don't put them out where hard wind will reach them, nor do they go out if
it is going to get below freezing. I used to live in zone 7 and this worked
very well. Now I am in zone 5 and it is my first year to try it here.

I would try it both ways, but keep in mind the seeds don't like to lay in
water, and the seedlings don't want wet feet. Maybe you could make the
outside spot you mentioned a "slightly " raised bed for the seeds.

Have fun. Dwayne


I have a raised flower bed under a tree where they would be protected a
little -- it might be a good place to plant them, then transplant them
to the garden as soon as the ground is dried up enough to work.
Probably in April. Thanks.

Regards,
Bob