Friday, 20 November 2020

In My Seed Box For 2021 - Spring Onions

 


2109 again because of the leg injury there were not many spring onions grown and far too many bought from the supermarket, 2020 has been a wash out due to Covid-19 and that must not happen in 2021. A note has been added to my Sowing & Planting Plan for 2021 so I can get Spring Onions  going a month earlier than previous years.

The life expectancy of Onion seeds is 2 - 4 years, and most suppliers have a two year gap between packed and so by date.   

Review of Onion Seed Stocks in Zippy Bags 


Evergreen Bunching                                                                        - Sow By 2020
White Lisbon                      - 650 Seeds - £1.89     - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2018
North Holland Blood Red -                                        Mr Fothergills - Sow By 2017


Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets

Gerda                                     - 500 Seeds - £              - Marshalls  - Sow By 2019

Long White Ishikura               - 375 Seeds - £2.40       - Johnsons - Sow By 2020
Long White Ishikura               - 375 Seeds - £2.40       - Johnsons - Sow By 2020
White Lisbon (Winter Hardy)  - 500 Seeds - £1.00      - wilko - Sow By 2020
White Lisbon (Winter Hardy)  - 500 Seeds - £1.00      - wilko - Sow By 2020
White Lisbon (Winter Hardy)  - 500 Seeds - £1.00      - wilko - Sow By 2020 

White Lisbon                           - 700 Seeds - £2.00       - Johnson from Wilko (20p in sale) - Sow By 2021
Long White Ishikura                - 375 Seeds - £2.50       - Johnsons (20p in sale)- Sow By 2021
White Lisbon                           - 120 Seeds - £1.00       - Carters from Poundland 10p in sale - Sow by 2021

Ramrod                                   - 250 Seeds - £1.00       - wilko - Sow 2022
Ishikura                                   - 300 Seeds - £1.50       - Kings Seeds on Kitchen Garden - Sow By 2022

Alphabetical Listing

                                                Sowing            Harvest

Arrow                                     Mar - Apr          Aug - Nov
Feast F                                  Mar - Jul          Jun - Onwards ( Winter hardy) 
Ishikura                                  Mar - May        Jun - Sep - Thompson & Morgan
Ishikura                                  Mar - Jul          May - Oct - Mr Fothergill's
Long White Ishikura               Mar - Jul           May - Oct - Johnsons
North Holland Blood Red       Feb - Jul           Apr - Oct
Pompeii                                  Mar - Jul          Jun - Oct
Purplette                                 Mar - Jul          Jun - Oct
White Lisbon (Winter Hardy)  Mar - Sep         Mar - Nov  
White Lisbon                          Mar - Sep         May - Oct - Thompson & Morgan
White Lisbon                          Mar - Jul           May - Oct - Mr Fothergill's

Sowing Plan for 2019

In 2017 spring onions were grown in vending machine cups in tray modules and transplanted into the onion beds plant membrane, but white rot got a few and the rest had to be harvested early or disposed off.

In 2018 I tried to grow them in cut down square flower buckets but the results weren't very good, saying that the Spring was unnaturally warm and dry.

IN 2020 a return to growing in vending machine cups in tray modules and transplanted into the onion beds plant membrane, 



Looking at the back of the seed packets, yes I do read them! What I find interesting is the different guidance provided by different seed companies for the same variety of plant. for example, looking at Ishikura Spring Onions from Wilko, Thompson & Morgan & Mr Fothergill




Sowing Outdoors

Mar - May ~ Thompson & Morgan
Mar - Jun ~ Wilko
Mar - July ~ Mr Fothergills

Frequency of Sowing

Wilko &  Mr Fothergills both suggest every 2 - 3 weeks for a continuous supply throughout the summer, interestingly Thompson & Morgan advice is that "The long harvest period means one sowing lasts the whole season!" which is kind of mad as there harvest period is shorter than both Wilko & Mr Fothergills ! Thompson & Morgan also states "Can be harvested pencil-thin or thinner, or left to mature to carrot size" although they don't state what kind of carrot.  

Thinning

Wilko & Mr Fothergills both suggest no thinning is required whereas Thompson & Morgan state it is!

Harvesting

May - Oct ~ Wilko
Jun -  Sep ~ Thompson & Morgan
May - Oct ~ Mr Fothergills

Germination 

Wilko &  Mr Fothergills both state 14 - 21 days and Thompson & Morgan provides no information on germination, I have seen this missing on quite a lot of their packs and it's something I'm and I guess most other gardeners are actually quite interested in.

I know that like Structural Engineers, if you get four or five gardeners together and ask them a question you are likely to get three different answers but until I see what other suppliers of Ishikura Spring Onions have to say, I think I will ignore T&M and go with the guidance from Wilko & Mr Fothergill.  

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