In previous years I have done really well with Spring onions, I have two or three with my sandwich most lunchtimes. A note has been added to my Sowing & Planting Plan for 2023 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 sow by date.
All but the sow by 2021 seeds were removed from the Seed Box in 2022.
These have sow dates between February - April and August - November and are Frost-Resistant for harvest in spring and summer.
Germination is 15 - 20 days and soil temperature needs to be between 8 - 10C No seed count but pack say enough for 10m of sowing.
Lilia - 550 Seeds - £2.49 - 43 79 38 - were a new variety from Dobies in 2022 and I have to say they are a great bulb spring onion that have really grown well and have lasted from being picked, and I will be growing these again in 2023 and buying more seeds for 2024
Sow March-July
For salads, best sown in broad drills sparingly April - July, into finely raked, firm soil at a depth of 10mm in rows 300mm apart. (Germination 14 - 21 days). No thinning necessary. Bulbs will be quite large if left to mature. Sow a pinch of seeds regularly for continuous production.
For bulb onions best sown 3-4 seeds per small pot in a propagator or greenhouse during march April at approx. 15C eventually planting outside.
Best grown in ground that has been manured the previous autumn. Water freely in dry weather.
Harvest June-October.
Sow By 2023
Ramrod - 250 Seeds - £1.00 - wilko - Sow By 2023
Sow By 2024
De Barletta (Bulb) - 10 metres - 49p - Lidl - Sow By 2024
De Barletta (Bulb) - 10 metres - 49p - Lidl - Sow By 2024
De Barletta (Bulb) - 10 metres - 49p - Lidl - Sow By 2024
Lilia (Bulb) - 550^ Seeds - £2.49 - Dobies - Sow By 2024
White Star - 550^ Seeds - £2.49 - Dobies - Sow By 2024
Snow Queen F1 (Bunching) - 300 Seeds - £ - Premier Seeds- Sow By 2024
Tokyo Long White -1200 Seeds - £ - Premier Seeds- Sow By 2024
North Holland Bloodred Redmate - 1200 Seeds - £ - Premier Seeds- Sow By 2024
^ Opened Pack
Sow By 2025
White Lisbon - 450 Seeds - 75p* - Wilko - Sow By 2025
White Lisbon - 450 Seeds - 75p* - Wilko - Sow By 2025
White Lisbon - 450 Seeds - 75p* - Wilko - Sow By 2025
Sow By 2026
Ishikura (bunching) - 375 Seeds - £1.00* - Wilko - Sow By 2026
Ishikura (bunching) - 375 Seeds - £1.00* - Wilko - Sow By 2026
Ramrod - 250 Seeds - £1.00* - wilko - Sow By 2026
Ramrod - 250 Seeds - £1.00* - wilko - Sow By 2026
* Purchased in the Wilko 50% 0ff sale
Sowing Harvest
Arrow Mar - Apr Aug - Nov
Feast F Mar - Jul Jun - Onwards ( Winter hardy)
Gerda Mar - Jun May-Dec - Marshalls
Feast F Mar - Jul Jun - Onwards ( Winter hardy)
Gerda Mar - Jun May-Dec - Marshalls
Ishikura Mar - May Jun - Sep - Thompson & Morgan
Ishikura Mar - Jul May - Oct - Mr Fothergill's
Ishikura Feb* - Jun 12 Weeks after Sowing - Kings Seeds
Lilia Apr - Jul Jun - Oct
Long White Ishikura Mar - Jul May - Oct - JohnsonsNorth Holland Blood Red Feb - Jul Apr - Oct
Pompeii Mar - Jul Jun - Oct
Purplette Mar - Jul Jun - Oct
Ramrod Mar - Jun May - Oct - wilco
White Lisbon (Winter Hardy) Mar - Sep Mar - Nov - wilco
White Lisbon Mar - Sep May - Oct - Thompson & Morgan
White Lisbon Mar - Jul May - Oct - Mr Fothergill's
White Lisbon Mar - Sep May - Oct - Thompson & Morgan
White Lisbon Mar - Jul May - Oct - Mr Fothergill's
White Star Mar - Aug - Dobies
White Star Sept to overwinter
* Under Glass
Sowing Plan for 2023
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.
From 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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