onions when to satrt them off

[Nora42]

Hello I have some onion seeds and would like to know if as some say plant In Feb and others say plant in march if in fact I can sow a few of the all in February not for show but just for home use I am not trying to get the massive but I always seem to have too many other seedlings on the go in march and April and wondered if I can stagger them and should spring onions be planted direct or can I grow these in modules too?
I am a seed onion novice I know they need light and some warmth to start them off but no heat after that.

thanks
Nora

[Nora42]

[okra]

Started some off in the propagator yesterday.

[Tee Gee]

There are those that say sow on the shortest day (21/12) and harvest on the longest day, I find the harvesting date in my neck of the woods is a bit ambitious!

I was thinking of making a start next week which fits in with this link;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Onion/Onion.htm

Then again I have been experimenting this last couple of years to see if these timings are right!

I have always wondered how plants ( in particular weeds) know when to appear so I have been making some observations and my theory is working out reasonably well!

My theory is;

Start the new years seed sowing when the snowdrops appear in my garden (there is only a few out at the moment)hence me thinking about sowing my onions.

Start my 'hardy stuff' when the Crocus appear,

Start my half hardy stuff when my daffs are in flower.

Plant out out six weeks after my daffs flower.

As I say the results have been promising this past couple of years.

Perhaps other could keep check their sowing dates when these events take place!

Who knows we might invent a foolprof sowing times plan between us!

[caroline7758]

I sowed some red onion seed in my cold greenhouse at the weekend.

[Nora42]

Hi Tee gee ,
had a glance at your link fabulous thanks.
I think I have nothing to loose then and will plant some very soon.
thanks
Nora

[kGarden]

If you are sowing "indoors" then early Feb is probably about right. If you can mollycoddle them a bit then earlier - e.g. provide some extra light.  No harm in sowing them early (e.g. "shortest day", but I don't think you will gain anything, compared to 1st Feb, unless you have some supplemental light, or you are growing-for-showing and every smidgen counts)

If you can only sow "outdoors" then March.

Onions start bulbing-up when the day length changes, so its the one crop which you cannot delay starting off and "catch up".

"Indoors" means sowing in, say, a seed tray at 15C-20C, then when they are hook-shaped (before they straighten out completely) pricking out into modules - small ones are better than big'uns, 1" square is fine.  They should be kept at cooler temperature after germination, although warmer is probably OK if you also have supplemental light.  Plant out when you are ready - uncoil the roots at the bottom of the module, and arrange them vertically in the planting hole.

Off to read Tee Gee's link now and see if I am anywhere close! If not I'm afraid its "Ask two gardeners and get three opinions"!!