Onion advice

[Allan]

There was a question in the latest magazine (December) from a youngster having problems growing spring onions. No answer was given.
I have found this website which is somewhat helpful.
http://www.garden-centre.org/Onion%20seed.htm
The first point is that for the onion family it is essential tho ensure that fresh seed is used every season, certainly for paper packed ones, sealed foil packets may keep somewhayt better but I cannot say by how much.
As regards my experience I find that they germinate best with just a little help temperature-wise, a cold greenhouse should be sufficient.They do not germinate well in hot weather which might have been the problem for our young friend. The term spring onion relates to the harvest time, not the time to sow, so if you require early spring onions then sow the late summer or autumn before. My technique to get decent pickings for use in the spring is to sow Japanese-bunching type seeds (A fistulosum and hybrids)which are actually perennial but usually used as annuals, sow several in each of a number of pots in late summer.It is advisable to scatter the seeds in each pot. The names that I can remember this moment are Ishikura, White Lisbon Winter Hardy, Guardsman which is a hybrid between A.cepa and A.fistulosum, Summer Isle which is actually very good for winter cropping.

Allan

[Allan]

As fresh green onions are currently in short supply here I tried the topgrowth of Egyptian tree onions. Verdict very favourable, fairly mild and not tough at all. As they grow so easily I am planting a bed specifically for this purpose.
All onions are rich in anti-oxidants so it important to eat them all year not just in summer salads.
Allan