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Onion advice
LorraineP
Posts: 218
in Fruit & veg
Hi All
This year is my first venture into veg growing and thought onions would be fairly straight forward for a novice. They are a bag of Red Baron from a discount shop. I started them off in pots but when planting out have noticed a lot are soft, some with what I think is mildew and 3 had a flower bud, which I broke off. I have put in the best of the bunch, but to be honest I'm not expecting a lot from them. Am I wasting my time with them? Would I be better sowing seeds next time? Some advice would be appreciated.
Thanks. 
0
Posts
Sets can usually be planted straight into the ground in March. The sets should be firm when you give a gentle squeeze. Any soft ones may already be rotting.
I find I do better with seed, but they have to be started in a greenhouse around Christmas time. For red ones I use Red Mammoth from Robinsons. Kelsae and White mammoth improved produce big onions. Bedfordshire champion produce smaller onions, but are good keepers. I have just used the last of them from last year, still firm and not sprouting.
Also I noticed that one or two of the seed firms had onion plants for sale. these will have been grown from seed this year. I believe Robinsons do plants for sale as well. Its too late for this year though.
Thanks Fidgetbones, I'm thinking of ditching all the onions I have as RHS website advises disposing of any with fungus. Not all the ones I have are affected, but its probs only a matter of time. They're poor specimens. I know I was late getting started with them, too much enthusiasm not enough thought.