Onions from Seed

[baymule]

Just buy them from Texas. We grow big sweet onions, 1015, Noonday, and big red sweet onions. I have not mastered the art of grow bowling ball onions, so I happily eat my puny efforts and buy the big ones.

 

[digitS']

Leeks aren't foreign to me .

Years ago, I didn't know how well they would grow here. They are probably larger than any of the onions but stop growing in the heat. As it cools off, they will begin again. Leeks are sure nice in soups and with potatoes. They are no more difficult than onions, just hold their ground for an entire season so nothing will share their garden space.

Walla Walla Sweet Onions, Washington's official state vegetable

Steve

 

[baymule]

Walls Walls onions must be delicious and get eaten up, cause none of them get down here!

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

Walla Walla tend to be a Long Day type that prefer the northern states more. Alisa Craig is one that grows well in my zone 5 and gets BIG. @baymule how close is Dixondale Onions to your new location? they are one of the biggest suppliers of onion plants and i've ordered from them years ago. i thought they are down in TX somewhere.

 

[baymule]

I have Dixondale site saved to my favorites. Just no internet to look them up to see how close. Grrr......

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

found them, they are in Carrizo Springs, which looks to be south west of San Antonio.

 

[digitS']

That puts Dixondale down in @flowerweaver country, I think.

Dixondale grows onions for all latitudes. They may not bulb properly if left to grow in Texas but they get a big headstart.

Isn't anyone gonna challenge me on the ease of transplanting onion seedlings? I finally figured it out last year . I hold the seedling between the index and middle finger, not between the index finger and the thumb.

The soil is as soft as I can get it. I scratch the seedling in. Yes, just hold the seedling loosely and scratch with those two digitS', leaving the seedling behind in the soil. Wear latex or nitrile gloves. Heavier gloves will hold up better but you will lose some sensitivity.

Steve

 

[flowerweaver]

@digitS' yes, Dixondale is directly 80 miles south of me, and a bout a thousand feet lower. Ironically, their onions have always gotten confused in my garden, going to flower after 4 months of the winter warming and cooling cycle. I've had much better luck with Brown's Omaha Plant Farm onions out of Omaha in east Texas http://www.bopf.com/ They also grow onions for all latitudes. It can't be an elevation thing because both Carrizo Springs and Omaha are at 400-600 feet and I'm at 1500 feet.

 

[Smart Red]

Steve, I've never had a problem transplanting onion seedlings although I've never tried the index and middle finger maneuver. I use a sharpened popsicle stick and remove several seedlings at a time. Then I lay each one in a small furrow holding on close to the top of the seedling. Once a number of seedlings are in, I carefully move soil from the side of the furrow and 'sort of' stand the seedlings upright. Leeks are done the same way as are garlic started from tiny bulbils.

Hey, all! Listen to Steve! Transplanting onion seedlings is not in the least challenging.

 

[digitS']

Red Devils. I can't say that they are aptly named. The first year I grew this variety (2014), I forgot their name all year ... until I was looking at the receipt while doing my taxes.

Anyway, they are a bulbing onion. Lillias, a bunching variety, will be along shortly.

Steve