Onions & a Useful Chart

[AlittleSalt]

I did a ground temperature test today (10-10-2015), and wasn't real surprised to see the ground temperature still being around 90F at 5 inches deep. The reason I am interested is because I want to plant onions from seed for my first time. Earlier this year, I had read about onions liking 65-75F ground temperature for germination. That left me thinking, okay, the ground is still too hot to plant onion seed. However, everything I've read about planting onion seeds in my area is to plant them in October.

Tomorrow and Monday's forecast is 96F locally and highs in the 90s the whole week. I'm thinking I'll wait to plant onion seeds a couple weeks to see if Autumn is actually going to happen this year or not. I looked at a few sites and found this useful chart and info http://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html

[Worth1]

Salt look at these two sites and tell me what you think.
I have planed on planting my seeds but not directly in the garden because of what it says.
Worth

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=..._kMMOP8WCE4DIA

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...f5MrYRRIhY0TKA

[Worth1]

It looks to me that we dont want to expose them to temps below 40 to 45 degrees all winter and they dont need to be any bigger than a pencil when we set them out.

What a crap shoot.
I'm going to put mine in flats and bring them in and out of the garage and planting seeds in about 5 days or so.
Then plant again in another 10 days.

That's why they can grow them so big down south.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

I agree, What a crap shoot. As I was reading the first site, I was starting to think about planting in flats in a controlled environment. Winter is hot here one day and 22F that night. Although I could help to a point by using leaves to protect them from the cold.

The second site gives a little more hope. The county we live in is zone 7B in the northern half and 8A in the southern half. We live on the southern county line. Temperatures below 20F do not happen every winter here, but it does happen.

I'm thinking of using the Texas Grano 502 and Granex Yellow Hybrid seeds like this: Grow half in flats and the other half in-ground. If all else fails, they'll be locally selling onion sets of Texas 1015Y in January.

It is a lot to think about. After looking at a lot of sites from Denton to DFW to Waco. A lot of them support planting transplants in January/February. One site must have been selling transplants because they said they cost $12 a bunch...twelve dollars. We pay $2 per bunch for 1015Y shipped from Dixondale to a local plant shop.

[AlittleSalt]

I've watched some videos. I like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehuyOPf2dU it gives me ideas. It's a lot like I start tomato and pepper seeds - and more. Of course, you would need to adjust transplanting times for your area, but I like the overall idea of this video.

[greenthumbomaha]

Hello Salt -

I'm in the north and I start onion seeds around Dec. Use seed no more than 2 years old if possible so don't buy too much but do try different varieties just like with tomatoes. I start seeds in flats and keep giving them haircuts. It makes them much stronger. Eventually they get planted to their own cell well in advance of plant out . Plant way more than you need and only the transplant the strong ones. You could also directly plant a variety package of onion sets as a cheap back up (about a dollar). I love the smell of fresh onions when I'm working around them.

- Lisa

[AlittleSalt]

First picture is of the flat I planted on October 15. They live half inside under the lights and half outside. I try to remember to turn the lights on at sunrise and off at sunset when they are inside. They should have been outside today, but I didn't think of it.

The other pictures are of second year onions and garlic. Pictures taken earlier today.

[AlittleSalt]

Less than a week ago, I decided to give the onions a haircut. I trimmed them down to 2.5 inches tall. The results are obvious. The growth rate has more than doubled.

[b54red]

There are very few onions that do well down here. The Vidalia or Texas grano types do well here but they don't keep well. My favorite is just the plain white Bermuda which grows well here and is a decent keeper.

I start my seed sometime between early Oct. and early Dec. in my greenhouse; but it is best to start them in the middle of this time period. I put in a small window air conditioning unit to keep it cool enough to get good germination. I feed them regularly with liquid fertilizer because they are planted in DE. The DE makes it so much easier to separate them without losing so much of the root system when it is time to set them out. I set mine out as soon as they are about half the size of a pencil. I clip off the tops a few days before planting out so they are easier to handle and will stand up better and give them a good dose of fertilizer. I then let the DE dry out some so they are easy to get out and plant with a good root system intact. I then mulch them with pine bark fines to keep back some of the weeds and feed them weekly with TTF or some similar product.

Bill

[AlittleSalt]

The Grano 502 and Granex hybrids I started in the seed tray finally got to get planted in real soil today. Yesterday, we bought 3 sets of Texas 1015Y that are supposed to be from Dixondale. We paid $2 per set. The pictures of the onion I am holding and the one just set in its place are ones I planted seeds in the tray. Some of the roots are 5" or so. The lone onion sitting on a rock is one of the Texas 1015Y onions we bought.

The first picture is of the ground with oak leaves mulched and then tilled in.

[Worth1]

Where did you buy the sets at?

Worth

[Worth1]

Yes I am thinking of planting more onions.

I have a friend that eats every one I give her.

[AlittleSalt]

I bought them at the M&P shop I've written about. It was strange because it was their last day at that location. They're moving shop to their house which is about a half mile down the road.

Yes, I'll be planting more onions too. I companion plant onions near tomato plants. I've used onion bulbs for that in the past.

But thinking about it - I still have some seeds and an empty flat with the names still on the sides...hmm

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I bought them at the M&P shop I've written about. It was strange because it was their last day at that location. They're moving shop to their house which is about a half mile down the road.

Yes, I'll be planting more onions too. I companion plant onions near tomato plants. I've used onion bulbs for that in the past.

But thinking about it - I still have some seeds and an empty flat with the names still on the sides...hmm

I was hoping you would say wall mart or HEB.

You will have some green onions if you plant the seeds I am going to do it too.

I love onions.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

I'm thinking onion sets are around $3.50 at Walmart when they get some in. I noticed that all the garden stuff that's put out is mostly from last year. They'll be getting in new stuff soon though.

I was joking with Jan and another Walmart employee about eating onions in everything short of Jell-O