Separating Onion Transplants

[barkeater]

I started seed in a cellpack, probably a dozen or so came up in each cell. I just assumed they were like tomatoes and I would just separate them into their own individual cells.

However, I'm reading that they are normally raised 3 to a cell, or started in rows in 4"-6" deep trays until planting time. So it sounds like they are not pulled apart from each other until they go into the ground.

Is separating at planting time preferable to my original plan of transplanting them with their own individual rootball, or doesn't it matter either way?

[FlipTX]

I don't know if it matters either way but I always separate them at planting time. I might try it the other way sometime but right now don't have enough room for all the individual cells.

[mresseguie]

This isn't exactly a definitive answer, but all the nurseries/garden centers sell onion starts in six-packs. Each pack is loaded with a dozen or more starts. These starts are then transplanted directly into the garden. In addition, I have one good gardening friend who grows everything from seeds she starts. She grows onion seeds in 6 packs as well. When the starts are approx. 4" tall, she begins separating them for transplanting into her beds.

[I, on the other hand, find myself challenged by very thin, very small starts, so I buy the immature bulbs. This marble-sized start is very suitable for my clumsy fingers.]

Best of luck!

Michael
Compost till ya drop!

[tjg911]

Barkeater,
.
Don't waste your time. Onions growing fine extremely crowded up to transplant time. Just pull them apart, some roots break but it does not slow them down a bit. I'd let 12 per cell be 20 per cell would be too many.
.
Tom

[blatanna]

Hi,
Theres no need to waste your time trying to seperate onion transplants. When they go in the ground as a clump they just push each other apart and find their own space.

[montanamato]

I always plant my onions in old, round nursery pots I have saved....I have no idea how many are in each pot, but I leave them until transplant time into the garden...I seldom lose any transplants unless the temp is already over 90, and I still don't lose many...
If I had to guess, I would say each 4" pot has 75-125 seedlings in it...I like to grow them this way, as they don't take up much potting soil or my time....They are often abandoned to a spare room window and do fine with minimal sunlight until transplant.

Jeanne

[barkeater]

Thanks for the advice, all. I'll pot up each clump of 12/15 into 4" pots until planting time (early May) as the cells they're in are pretty small (72/tray). Does that sound like a good solution?

[montanamato]

I think that should work, the biggest problem in cells is drying out and they stay nice and damp in the pots....
I do not plant mine out in clumps however, I like to separate them for big Walla Wallas...I even give a good bit of space to the cippollinis.

Jeanne

[barkeater]

Oh, I'll definitely not be growing them in clumps as I want nice big red onions (Mars) for canning sauce and salsa. Onions were the only vegetable or herb ingredient that wasn't mine last year.

[tjg911]

i'll offer 1 word of caution - DO NOT plant them close together in the garden. pushing each other apart is NOT a good idea.

i used to space different varieties at 3" and i'd get small onions. when i went to 4" the bulbs (same varieties) incresed quite a bit in size. crowding the plants will give smaller bulbs.

for giant onions like ailsa craig exhibition and candy use 6" even 8" spacing for good sized bulbs.

tom

[barkeater]

Although they say 5-6 inches, I'm figuring on spacing mine 8" apart in each direction in a bed, to make for easy weeding with my scuffle hoe. I do the same thing with garlic, but only need 6" in between them.

[tjg911]

did you get a lot of snow from this monster storm? we had 6-7" of rain, had that been snow....

tom

[barkeater]

No, we lucked out with only 5 inches of snow, then rain early Monday. My sister in the Adirondacks , on the other hand, got 2 feet of snow and lost power for almost 2 days. I lost mine for 5 hours Monday afternoon.

Looking forward to sunny and 60's starting Friday. Who knows, I may be able to start digging the garden in another week. Hope so as the black flies will be out soon after, and this year could be a bad one.