Onions from seed have less disease problems than onions from sets. I show a simple multisow method to start them undercover, and the high yield of bulbs – 12kg/26.4lb from 8 modules. Plus a harvest of 1.3kg/2.8lb spring onions. Also see how to grow early spring onions, from a sowing in late summer.
Filmed and edited by Edward Dowding February to July 2017 in my no dig garden at Homeacres UK, zone 8 climate.
More info in my books and website, such as this page on multisowing lots of different veg https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/learn/multisowing/
and my twice monthly blog such as first sowings in https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/february-update-2017-first-sowings-propagation-composts-no-dig-winter-veg/
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I've tried to many times to grow spring onions from seed but mine eventually just stop growing! My current batch is about 2 months old but they're still only 4 inches high and some have simply died off too – aren't you supposed to be able to harvest them once they're 2 months old?
Any tips?
How often do you water them as seedlings and how often as "teenagers"?
In your video it looks like they're in a quite sunny area, do you ever cover them or are they fine, even with lots of direct sunlight/no shade?
Thanks
I appreciate your point of view. This is my first year growing many new vegetables. Your theory makes so much sense, especially for those of us with limited space. I will be growing my first onions your way. God bless, and cheers!
my second year on my allotment and im a sucker for onions. Sadly ive not had great success and now watching your video im prepared for next year. Just to clarify you would happily start seeds off in winter this year ready to plat for next year? i only have access to a small plastic greenhouse and im located in the midlands
many thanks for your information
You plant mid March but what is your last frost day? Can they go in before the last frost day?
It’s slightly confusing. You say at 6:27 that you sow’d the seeds late August and then they are looking great in April but I am presuming you showed them in modules in August so when did you plant them out, or did you just sow direct? Also you say you sow’d spring/onions in late Feb and put them somewhere warm but are then planting them out on 13th March only 2 weeks later? Is that correct ? Thanks. Enjoying going through your videos.
What a fantastic idea. I never grew onions because I thought “what’s the point when you get one onion per plant”. Because we have been working on getting the beds sorted (we’ve had months of rain and stormy weather here in NZ), I just got 2 punnets from the garden centre which will only give us 12 onions ha ha, but since the seedlings have more than one blade each, I imagine I can do the same thing when they grow bigger and harvest the leaves as spring onions. Your videos are excellent.
i think hes been on the sherry
Thank you Charles, for taking the time to teach this from beginning to end. I am off to the allotment now to see what space I have for my intended onion patch.
Wow again I am learning so much and spoilt for choice over what to try! Thanks
I have a lot of black fly/aphid(?) attack my onions this year, any advice on this problem?
Onions are the best
I've tried onions three times (not spring onions) and they failed every time. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I even tried two different methods – bed and big pots. Tried seed and sets – even tried full sun and part sun. I MAY try one more time since we eat so many (we're vegetarians), but I'm ready to stick to buying them from Morrisons!
I've only ever grown onions from sets before. This has inspired me to give growing them from seed a go.
So your module trays are no good for these? I wish you would do one with larger size modules.
This is one of the best videos I have seen as far as understanding growing onions, thanks.
Hoping for better luck with my onion seeds this year. Last year was a disaster: Poor germination (won’t say which seed company it was), and many dampened off (but not the spring onions sowed and cared for in same compost/environment).
2014 (sell by date) French onion seeds from my Late Mother’s Estate germinated around 30% and didn’t succumb to dampening off either.
Recently heard from my Filipino friends. Appalling onion harvest over these past 18 months. New diseases they think were in imported seeds.
The price of onions there atm is higher than prime beef and cut flowers.
Thought I’d mention this for anyone revisiting this popular vlog of yours.
Would highly recommend folk save their own seeds if they can. I believe one has to have multiple same type onions going to seed to achieve a viable heritage seed harvest.
Atb, everyone.
Must have great soil and weather. I’ve never tried growing storage onions in clumps as we are always told 4-6” apart. Way to go!
Do the bulbs swell up above the earth themselves???
I’ve seen your video before and tried and failed. This year I’m trying again. What temp does it need to be for the onion seed to germinate? Thank you
I love watching all your videos. One of the things I love most about your hard work is your love for your plants.. You can see it in every word you say about them and thank you for sharing it all with us.
I really enjoy your gardening growing tutorials they are great having had a few years in the UK and seeing a few great gardeners makes your video all the more special
Happy gardening from tasmania
Love this clear explanation of onions. Ive been struggling, but I think I can do this! Thank you, as always!
I've sown onions from seed for the first time just a few weeks ago. I have however grown leeks from seed for several years. But something I've been wondering a lot about is the general recommendation to trim the onion and leek seedlings while small. I found one explanation saying that if the seedling doesn't stand up straight, it might never recover. Some also claim trimming will strengthen the rootsystem and make for a thicker seedling. Is there any truth to those statements? Or are there any other reasons you can think of? Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
5 years later and still a great video Charles.