In My Seed Box For 2024 - Spring Onions

    

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 2024 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.  

In 2022 my sister treated me to a couple of packs of Lidl - De Barletta Spring onions and I bought 3 more packs in April when I went shopping. With Jen passing away and then with the cancer in my jaw and other mobility problems I didn't grow as many spring onions as I otherwise would normally do, so for the moment I'm over stocked with seeds for this year and probably the next couple of years 

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 

Lilia is a dual-purpose Italian variety with a robust flavour. Dark pinky/purple base, tapering to dark green leaves Spring Onion Lilia is best grown as a salad onion. Its eye-catching dark green leaves and a shiny, intense red inner core make a great addition to a summer salad. Plants can also be grown as a maincrop, storing bulb onion. When fully mature it shows off its defined red and white inner rings. 

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 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

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

Guardsman                             - 350 Seeds -  £2.55       - Wilko - Sow By 2026          

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 

Alphabetical Listing of Varieties historically grown 

                                                Sowing            Harvest

Arrow                                     Mar - Apr          Aug - Nov
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 - Johnsons
North 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 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.

In My Seed Box For 2024 - Index  

In My Seed Box For 2024 - Index

 

To find the information for a particular variety of vegetable being grown for 2024 use the index below. Hyperlinks will be added over the next couple of months as I catalogue the seeds I already have; and add to the list those I have either bought or new varieties that have been sent to me by seed suppliers to trial and blog about.  

Until I found out I had a tumour in my jaw, that turned out to be a form of blood cancer and for which I had 5 weeks of radioactive therapy, and then also developed the other mobility issues in 2023 I was looking at having the biggest and most productive year in the last eleven. 

I had to put the brakes on as the consultants started to look into what was  happening and how they may be able to treat / fix me, so I only used half the plot last year and thus have many seeds from last years plan to use this year. 

In 2023 Mr Fothergill's, sent me 27 new varieties of vegetables and a few flowers to trial. I've just heard that seven new varieties added to their range for 2024 are on their way to me.   

Dobies sent me 21 new varieties of seeds to trial in 2023, and again I have submitted my wish list and they are sending me 11 packs of seeds added to their catalogue and 2kg of Java potatoes and a Raspberry Tree to trial for 2024.

Suttons sent me 12 new varieties to trial in 2023, and again I have submitted my wish list and 21 new varieties of vegetables have arrived for me to trial for 2024.

Organic Gardening Catalogue sent me 7 new varieties of seeds to trial in 2023 and as with most seed companies other than Suttons this year, there are less new varieties added to the catalogues and they are sending me 4 new varieties out of the five this year to trial. 

Nothing to trial from Thompson & Morgan or Marshalls in 2023. Marshalls no longer believe there is any measurable benefit to providing trial seeds to gardening press and in fact they didn't even attend the gardening press event in 2022 & 2023.  

I emailed the Press office at T&M twice in 2023 and had no replies to my emails, which was very disappointing. I have sent an email in again to see if they are willing to send seeds to garden press for review in 2024. It will be interesting to see what response if any I get from T&M this year. 

Last year D.T.Brown, sent me a number of their new varieties to add to my collection and for growing in 2023.  and I've just heard that they are sending me 7 new varieties to trial for 2024 

I have been sent and have bought a number of seeds from Seeds To Suit and these are in the process of being added to my lists. I really can't recommend this small UK based company enough, they provide a reasonable quantity of seeds at very economical and reasonable prices. Their seeds germination rates are good, and the news letter is well worth signing up for.   

There are posts on this blog re all the seeds and products I have received to trial in past years,

Vegetables & Fruits 

Aubergine Beans Beetroot Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Spring Greens Carrots Cauliflower Celeriac Celery Chard Courgette Cucumber Gherkin Goji Berry Grapevine-Red Green Manure Herbs Kale Leeks Lettuce Luffa Marrow Onion from Seed Onion Sets Pak Choi Parsnips Pepper Potatoes Pumpkin Radish Raspberry Rhubarb Salsify Shallots Spinach Spring Onions Squash Strawberries Sweetcorn Swede Tomatoes Tree Spinach Turnips Water Melon     

To read about my New Seed Storage Method  Here was my Old Seed Storage Method 

Plans for "Avalon" Plots 1 & 1A for 2024

I used to have two pages one for my Mill Green Allotment Plots. Mill Green Plot 1A was my first ever allotment plot that I got in 2012, and I had another page for plot 1 that is in fact my third half plot as for a couple of years before getting Mill Green plot 1, I had a plot on Spencer Road Allotment. 

Now that I finally have the infrastructure in for plot 1 and the potting shed I have put the sign up on the potting shed and my allotment has been named "Avalon". Yes I'm a bit of a King Arthur and the Knight Of The Round Table nerd! 

Here is the Planting Layout Plan of Avalon (Plots 1 & 1A) for 2024 as at December 2023 

I've always planned my work but working my plan has often proved difficult, circumstances sometimes alter what you were planning, and this year is no exception to that rule. 

So here is what I had planned for Plot 1 as of December 2023, and the square foot garden bed 3 didn't happen in 2023 as I managed to get a load of paving slabs off Freecycle and I wanted to make the path wider so that I had room for bringing in wheelbarrows of wood chips into the plot and swinging around the corner of the potting shed when using the main path that goes past the sheds

The formation of the climbing frame greenhouse altered when I looked into what parts I had in the boxes and made a redesign of how I was going to build it and ended up using the mesh panels as structure for the walls and not cladding to the greenhouse frames I bought in the B&Q sale off when they stopped selling them. 

Above is the plan for plot 1A .....

SEASONS

Spring     19th March - 19th June
Summer  20th June - 19th Sept
Autumn   20th Sept - 20th December
Winter     21st December - 18th March 

Plans for "Avalon" Plots 1 & 1A

 In the process of Updating for 2024

I used to have two pages one for my Mill Green Allotment Plots. Mill Green Plot 1A was my first ever allotment plot that I got in 2012, and I had another page for plot 1 that is in fact my third half plot as for a couple of years before getting Mill Green plot 1, I had a plot on Spencer Road Allotment. 

Now that I finally have the infrastructure in for plot 1 and the potting shed I have put the sign up on the potting shed and my allotment has been named "Avalon". Yes I'm a bit of a King Arthur and the Knight Of The Round Table nerd! 

Here is the Planting Layout Plan of Avalon (Plots 1 & 1A) for 2024 as at December 2023 

I've always planned my work but working my plan has often proved difficult, circumstances sometimes alter what you were planning, and this year is no exception to that rule. 

So here is what I had planned for Plot 1 as of December 2023, and the square foot garden bed 3 didn't happen in 2023 as I managed to get a load of paving slabs off Freecycle and I wanted to make the path wider so that I had room for bringing in wheelbarrows of wood chips into the plot and swinging around the corner of the potting shed when using the main path that goes past the sheds

The formation of the climbing frame greenhouse altered when I looked into what parts I had in the boxes and made a redesign of how I was going to build it and ended up using the mesh panels as structure for the walls and not cladding to the greenhouse frames I bought in the B&Q sale off when they stopped selling them. 

Above is the plan for plot 1A .....

SEASONS

Spring     19th March - 19th June
Summer  20th June - 19th Sept
Autumn   20th Sept - 20th December
Winter     21st December - 18th March 

Loo Roll Tubes

I wonder how many other allotment holders have been saving these ready for sowing germinated parsnip seeds in ?

Do you sow parsnips in them? If not what do you sow in them?

Plot Layout For 2024

Bearing in mind that at the moment because of the ulcers on my legs I'm house bound, but adamant that I will be better to get back on the allotment in 2024 here are my plans for the layout of "Avalon" for 2024 as of the 11th December. As always its subject to change but its my starter for 10.

Full Plan Layout for Plots 1 & 1A aka "Avalon" for 2024

Plan Layout for Plot 1

Plan Layout for Plot 1A

Planning and Reviewing December in Previous Years

Reviewing the diary over the last Eleven years for December 

There is not a whole lot of growing that happens in December, its normally blustery, cold, rainy, and overcast. It's the only time of the year with no sowing programme, though some enthusiasts and trophy hunters will ignore convention. I can't shut my plot down completely because there is too much tidying and maintenance to do on plot 1A and I have infrastructure works to undertake on plot 1. I also need to go there for some Allotment Therapy and get out of the house. 

2012 - My First December and third month of owning an allotment was mainly spent cutting down the weeds and exposing what lay underneath and discovering all manor or debris to dispose off. There was a lot of burning of weeds in the two incinerators 

2013 - Mainly clearing up the plot, Growing and cut and drop green manure, installing an infrastructure of paths and beds. Harvesting Sprouts 

2014 - Mainly clearing up the plot, Growing and cut and drop green manure, installing an infrastructure of paths and beds. Harvesting Sprouts 

2015 - Mainly clearing up the 2nd plot on Spencer Road, Growing and cut and drop green manure, installing an infrastructure of paths and beds. Harvesting Sprouts, carrots and parsnips  

2016 - Two plots on two different allotment sites Mill Green and Spencer Road, installing more infrastructure, collecting leafs, Walking Onions in greenhouse, harvesting sprouts, manure and leafs on beds, making planting membrane sheets, High winds blow over Keith's shed. Shed Break-ins and meeting the police on Spencer Road.
            

2017 - Family health matters mean very little achieved on the plot. Leaf collection and sprout harvest.

2018 - Lots of rain and not a great deal of work possible this month. Grow Your Own Tomato Seed Circle package arrives. 30th December and I was clearing the sweetcorn from the beds and putting to sleep for winter.  

2019 - Lots of rain, but I did manage to audit and catalogue What's In My Seed Box 

Jools Holland in Brighton with Kelly and John Barrowman A Fabulous Christmas and weekend away with my good lady wife meant I lost two weekends of working on the plots.

Christmas Eve my good lady wife and I were in the Royal Brompton Hospital as she was undergoing a night study to recalibrate her BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airways Pressure) machine that she has to go on each night.

2020 - Lots of rain, but I did manage to audit and catalogue What's In My Seed Box 

Raspberry infrastructure created. Weather watching and rain stops play. Plot Tour Video produced. New varieties of seeds from Suttons reviewed, In My Seed Box reviewed and published throughout the month, Seed catalogues reviewed. Before You Buy Seeds article updated. 

2021 - Lots of rain, but I did manage to audit and catalogue What's In My Seed Box for 2022 

After storm Arwen in November, Storm Barra hits the UK at the start of December. Leaf Bin and Carrot barrel set up. Rhubarb Bed 3 created; Rhubarb moved into it. So many bulbs planted by Andy and then stolen by the rats with fluffy tails.  21st December Winter Solstice and we start making our way to longer daylight. Sorted out the plot arrangement for 2022 and published it on the blog. Managed a site visit on the last day of December after so much rain. 

2022 - Not so many visits in December as my wife Jenny was very ill and the weather was not good Snow on the 12th December we had snow, Lots of post on the blog looking at what was in my seed boxes for 2023

Forest Garden Top Fan

I just got recognised as one of Forest Garden top fans on Facebook!

I love my Forest Garden potting shed, for me it's a game changer and a sanctuary and such an asset on my allotment plot, and mental well being.

Harvesting Parsnips

Thanks again to a most awesome sister coming and sorting me out this morning so I could go and met Emma on the allotment for a little Allotment Therapy.

Worms fed with vegetation from the runner beans and butternut squash. 300ml of worm fertiliser from the worm farm today.

Thanks to John our on plot paramaniac for taking my cut raspberry canes and a broken timber stool to burn.

Emma planted the Broad Beans into Bed3

We covered the Broad Beans with hoops and debris netting.

One bucket of main crop spuds that look more like first early spuds but that's OK. Another 3 buckets yet to harvest.

Two lines of Parsnips harvested as we are running out and there was a frost last night.

Parsnips after a clean before processing

"Thing" Helps

With Halloween having just gone, "Thing" came to give me a hand on the allotment today.

Thing harvested more butternut squash foliage and as I cant stand and walk for long at the moment, I took to my walker seat up against the shed and cut them up nice and small for the worms in my worm farm.

Time fly's when your having fun or working on the allotment, and then it was time to come home for lunch.

I started cutting back the winter raspberries.

Thing worked on clearing the Greenhouse climbing frame of weeds in the beds, and I attacked the Winter Raspberry Bed and the Late Summer Raspberry Bed for as long as my legs and back would allow.

Small amount of November tomato harvest from the Plot 1 Greenhouse, It's been an exceptional year for tomatoes.

Moving Mulch

I managed to get to the allotment this morning thanks to my sister Elaine coming early and sorting out my legs and socks for me.

My daughter Emma had previously removed all the mares tail and other weeds from the All Gold Raspberry Boundary beds and the level below the top of the frame was about 50mm.

With the pile of very rotten wood chip/mulch reducing in the car park I though I would see how much I could barrow in and place.

I got a little over half way and then told myself I had to keep going until I had done the lot.

It knackered me completely, and after returning home for lunch I slept most of the afternoon but it was worth it to actually achieve a completed job on the plot.

It knackered me completely but it looks so good

I used the last of the mulch worthy woodchip and hopefully we can get some more path worthy woodchip delivered soon

Working on the plot this morning was the most alive I have felt in recent weeks, until I got home and flumped. I'm looking forward to sleeping less and recovering from the Radiotherapy side effects more in the coming weeks.

Factor 50+ sun cream applied as that's what has been advised for me in the future.