Overwinter onions from seed

[hdan]

I'm looking to overwinter onions from seed this fall. I thinking the recommendations for starting seeds is late August, and transplanting early October in zone 7a. I think I'm in a short-day veriety zone.
Any recommendations?

 

[flowerbug]

I'm looking to overwinter onions from seed this fall. I thinking the recommendations for starting seeds is late August, and transplanting early October in zone 7a. I think I'm in a short-day veriety zone.
Any recommendations?

i'm further north so i can't really say about specifics, yet i've had little problem with any variety of onions i've found sold as sets or starts in my area working out ok for seeds.

currently i have questions about the Candy onions i grew last year and if i can get them planted now or not or if they're still too vulnerable to frosts...

 

[digitS']

North, too.

Texas Grano was once tried and I learned why short-day onions aren't recommended for 48⁰N — formed bulbs while still tiny!

Candy from sets, purchased plants, @flowerbug ? I planted Candy seed in the greenhouse again this Winter. They are already out in the garden (& subject to this morning’s 28°f).

My over-wintering of Walla Walla was unsuccessful (from a valley 200 miles south in WA). The 2nd year, 100% of the plants bolted — before forming bulb. This was after a cold Winter and a relatively poor performance after a try the year before.

Steve, Best of Luck, @hdan – it should work in zone 7

 

[hdan]

i'm further north so i can't really say about specifics, yet i've had little problem with any variety of onions i've found sold as sets or starts in my area working out ok for seeds.

currently i have questions about the Candy onions i grew last year and if i can get them planted now or not or if they're still too vulnerable to frosts...

I hear you, Haven't grown any candy onions yet. I'm learning myself so better me not recommending anything lol.
My second year doing onions.
I've only planted onions sets last two years. I've heard planting by seeds less likely to bolt. Just wanted to try myself to see the outcome. First year planted (2022) patterson sets in fall, had decent size onions following year only a few bolted but was a mild winter. 2023 fall planted stuttgarter onion sets, just had about 25 out of 50 to bolt before bulbed so far this year recently within the last few days.
It got really cold also this past winter into the single digits.
I'm sure that played a big roll in the bolting process. Both varieties were long day also. Maybe I should go with short day onion with short storage rather than long day with long storage.
This really gets confusing trying to grow long storage onion in a short storage zone.

 

[hdan]

North, too.

Texas Grano was once tried and I learned why short-day onions aren't recommended for 48⁰N — formed bulbs while still tiny!

Candy from sets, purchased plants, @flowerbug ? I planted Candy seed in the greenhouse again this Winter. They are already out in the garden (& subject to this morning’s 28°f).

My over-wintering of Walla Walla was unsuccessful (from a valley 200 miles south in WA). The 2nd year, 100% of the plants bolted — before forming bulb. This was after a cold Winter and a relatively poor performance after a try the year before.

Steve, Best of Luck, @hdan – it should work in zone 7

I'm trying to take all this information in little by little lol. It may take some time to sink in. New at trying to grow onions still after two years.
What will work for me?
Are you saying walla walla onions would be best for me?
If that's the case I will try it for overwinter this fall.
I have some walla walla now growing planted this spring. I think they were planted a little late in 3/1/24. I know they won't get as big as overwinter, but I just planted extra because I figured my overwintered was going to bolt.

 

[digitS']

Are you saying walla walla onions would be best for me?

Well, I don't know.

Walla Walla is in the long-day class. Let's see, they were originally from Corsica. Wikipedia says the capital is 42⁰N. Washington States's Walla Walla Valley is 46⁰N. No doubt there was some selective breeding.

Perhaps overwintering would work here in my garden with a different variety but those seasons with WW was the limit for my trials. For over a dozen years, I have simply sown seed in a flat of soil about February 1st and left that flat in the unheated greenhouse. It is covered when there is a danger that the soil may freeze. The plants are hardened off early and transplanted while frost may still occur. That's it.

Steve

 

[hdan]

Well, I don't know.

Walla Walla is in the long-day class. Let's see, they were originally from Corsica. Wikipedia says the capital is 42⁰N. Washington States's Walla Walla Valley is 46⁰N. No doubt there was some selective breeding.

Perhaps overwintering would work here in my garden with a different variety but those seasons with WW was the limit for my trials. For over a dozen years, I have simply sown seed in a flat of soil about February 1st and left that flat in the unheated greenhouse. It is covered when there is a danger that the soil may freeze. The plants are hardened off early and transplanted while frost may still occur. That's it.

Steve

Well, I don't know.

Walla Walla is in the long-day class. Let's see, they were originally from Corsica. Wikipedia says the capital is 42⁰N. Washington States's Walla Walla Valley is 46⁰N. No doubt there was some selective breeding.

Perhaps overwintering would work here in my garden with a different variety but those seasons with WW was the limit for my trials. For over a dozen years, I have simply sown seed in a flat of soil about February 1st and left that flat in the unheated greenhouse. It is covered when there is a danger that the soil may freeze. The plants are hardened off early and transplanted while frost may still occur. That's it.

Steve

I think I will be planting and overwintering the Texas grano or Texas supper sweet this fall from seed. Maybe both.

 

[Decoy1]

In UK, the Japanese Senshyu Yellow is the standard overwintering variety, and always does well. Is that commonly grown in UK?

Here it will bulb while the days are shorter, a month or so earlier than the long day varieties.

I guess I’m about Zone 8, so not sure how that would fare in 7a.

 

[flowerbug]

...
Candy from sets, purchased plants, @flowerbug ? I planted Candy seed in the greenhouse again this Winter. They are already out in the garden (& subject to this morning’s 28°f).

purchased starts (actively growing in a flat). i haven't picked them up yet from the greenhouse. i'm not even sure they have them out yet as they won't enjoy it if we get a hard freeze (which is still possible but not too likely at least in the next week as the lowest temperature i'm seeing for overnight is 47F).

 

[hdan]

In UK, the Japanese Senshyu Yellow is the standard overwintering variety, and always does well. Is that commonly grown in UK?

Here it will bulb while the days are shorter, a month or so earlier than the long day varieties.

I guess I’m about Zone 8, so not sure how that would fare in 7a.

Yea, not sure.
Not familiar with that variety onion, but I will do some resurch on it.