Kitchen Garden Forum

I have just received a delivery of onion sets - Red Baron. I have been growing onions for several years and they are the largest I have ever seen - on average about 3.5 cm diameter. My reference book (Joy Larkcom) recommends smaller sets and advises to avoid large ones as they tend to bolt. Any thoughts or advice would be welcome.

Thank you.

Hello Binky
i suspect that these may be heat treated (sometimes called 'prepared') sets. If so you have nothing to worry about as far as bolting goes.
You are right to be wary of large untreated onion sets though.
Check to see exactly what you ordered. I've always found the big seed boys very good at sending stuff out at the right time for planting in this area.

John

If you decide to carry on and plant them, don't push them into the ground, dig a small hole and cover them to hide them from the birds, they tend to pull them up as they search for bugs. Cheers, Tony.

It is true that large ones tend to bolt, but the fact that you have only just received your sets indicates that they are heat treated. Which is just as well, because red onions have a tendency to bolt far more readily than other varieties. Seedsmen have for years been trying to develop red onions which do not bolt easily and which have even half-way decent disease resistance, but without success, which is why they remain expensive.
Me, I don't rate red onions one bit, for the reasons outlined above and also because in blind taste testing they taste the same as brown onions, and when you cook with them they go grey. Also, they don't store well. But that's just my opinion.
To give your sets a sporting chance, be sure that your soil has warmed thoroughly before planting as a cold soil can also increase the risk of them bolting.

Thank you all for your comments.

I have checked the catalogue and they were not advertised as heat treated. But it is the size of them that is amazing/troubling me! They are more the size of shallots than onion sets. Anyway, I'll give them a go and see what happens.

Felix: I grow them mostly for the colour - and to make red onion marmalade.

Just out of interest, Binky - were your red sets from Marshalls? Mine were, and like you I have planted smaller(much smaller) shallots.

Yes, but I didn't know if it was OK to mention a supplier by name. The advice I have received from Marshalls is: "The Red Baron which you have received are larger as they are a higher grade"...... but I'm still not too sure about them.

Hello again Binky
How are your 'higher grade' Red Baron?
About 2 weeks ago over 50% had split into 2 or 3. Bad enough but now over 80% are bolting. What a waste of money and effort. I have written to Marshalls but no matter what they say or do the season is ruined. No more Marshalls for me - and I have dealt with them for over 30years.

Mine are exactly the same. First they started to split into 2 or 3 (a bit like shallots). Now they have all bolted.

Marshalls other comment, when I wrote querying the unusually large size and suggesting that they might bolt was "Red Baron even though they are not heat prepared do show a good natural resistance to bolting".

Marshall's response was an apology, a credit and advice to break off the flower stems in the hope that the bulbs would swell. Certainly doesn't compensate for the effort put into preparing the onion bed.

We were disappointed with some winter brassica plants that we bought from Marshalls last year. They were leggy and tattered so I rang Marshalls to complain. Someone there tried to give me a lecture on how they were perfectly good plants and would grow if I gave them a chance but they agreed to compensate us by returning half the amount that we paid.

We planted the plants - didn't have much choice - which didn't perform well - just as we had expected - and we never did get the refund.

This year we will be sowing our own winter brassicas.

Hi Sue,
My advice is to change your supplier and give Marshalls a very wide berth.
JB.

Johnboy wrote:Hi Sue,
My advice is to change your supplier and give Marshalls a very wide berth.
JB.

Instead of changing supplier JB - we are sowing our own seed!

Hi Sue,
That's even better!
JB.

Dear All,
all red onions are more prone to bolting what ever their vendors claim. That said, to salvage what you can from a crop of bolters, this is my advice. Cut off the flowerhead just under the bud. If you do this then the onion will conitnue to swell and form a bulb. It must be just under the bud though as any lower and the hollow stem is left which will fill up with water and go rotten. A little more preparation in the kitchen is required but it is better that than the compost heap.
Regards Sally Wright.