Kitchen Garden Forum

This year I was sent some onion seeds to try.

I put them in my propergator and when they finally arrived they all died with what I can only think was DAMPING OFF????

Any ideas please ??? as to what I did wrong??

I planted seeds from Seeds of Italy and they advised sowing in seed trays in November/December in an unheated greenhouse. Once they'd germinated I pricked them out into modules and grew on in the cold. Now the greenhouse is heated I've moved the to the unheared one as they advised and they're doing well. Seeds of Italy said not to use heat, perhaps that's where you went wrong.

Hi,

I sowed my Ailsa Craig onion seed at a rate of four seeds to a module (40 module per tray) on 20th Jan 2006. These went into a heated propagator until germinated and then put straight outside into an unheated well ventilated plastic greenhouse. Despite -6 degrees overnight temps they have all survived.

I only water when the compost is drying...if necessary only watering one or two modules if the rest are still wet.

I normally grow from sets without any problem, but decided to grow from seed last year, but the packet arrived too late to sow! So I saved it until this year.

I hope this helps

Good luck with the next lot!

Vivianne

What water did you use? Tap water is best for seed trays and very young plants,water butts can contain nasties which will kill young seedlings,also check the state of cleanliness of the inside of your watering can.
Carole.

Can one assume a commercial seed-or multipurpose- compost was used? Bottom watering then no more until germinated (unless very drying conditions)
10-15C. to germinate then cooler for growing on. As a precaution traditional copper fungicide on sowing is useful.
As mentioned elsewhere there is still time to re-sow if you get on with it.
Allan