Spring onion germination

[David]

Hi all,

I always get awful germination on spring onions and when they eventually come through I normally lose the majority when they simply collapse and die.

The latest failure is in my square foot garden when after an age two 1ft long rows came through, spaced @1/2 inch apart. I now have three green wisps left who are only hanging on to be polite I'm sure.

I would be very grateful for a succesful strategy.

Thanks very much,

David

[sandersj89]

I find sowing in modules and then planting out works for me.

I sow a few seed, 4 or 5, in each module and plant out the "clump" when ready.

HTH

Jerry

[Lyn]

Hi - I do the same as Jerry, but plant up two or three "clumps" from the modules into a couple of 8-inch pots, and there they stay. I do three or four sowings per season, and that is enough to keep us supplied for salads.
Regards, Lyn

[Johnboy]

Hi David, I module sow mine also but I have commercial trays of 576 modules and I fill with compost then pat down with a stiff hand brush then "broadcast sow" over the top and then put sifted compost over the top of the sown seeds.
I always give them a good watering after sowing and then await the results. I leave them in the modules until they really are slightly potbound then plant them out. Using modules you can delay planting for about a month which nicely spaces the crop. They literally take seconds to plant out. I plant two varieties good old White Lisbon and North Holland Blood Red "Redmate." I normally do two sowings of each variety and that serves my needs. I didn't manage to eat all the "Redmate" a couple of years ago and they went on to make quite passable little onions and are superb fried.

[Geoff]

Basically the same here - small pots then plant out.
Nice to know it isn't only me who can't germinate them in situ.

[Chantal]

Blimey, something I CAN do better than you lot!

I just sprinkle the seed into rows and up they come. I have a row that was left over from last year which are still just about OK, I've eaten a lot of them this year, and my new rows are looking great.

[David]

Thankyou all thats another little problem ticked off.

Chantal, Its unfair to use your 'special' powers in this way but the picture of your 'familiar' is nice......

David

[Chantal]

Thank you David, she is lovely. She can wiggle her nose too...

... what's more, she likes spring onions!