Kitchen Garden Forum

Got out the allotment today and did a bit, put some broadbeans in modules in the greenhouse and some in the ground. Was thinking of also sowing some onions and remember a while back that some people traditionally sow show onion seeds on boxing day? Can anyone refresh my memory, I have some Alsa Craig seed are they any good?

CoMPo

ailsa craig is one of the common onions.... cant say ive grown it myself, but a lot of people do.

Ailsa Craig is a lovely onion. I always try to grow some from seed. If you dry them well they keep for ages too. I had to resort to onion sets last year and found the varieties hard textured, not as good a flavour and they didn't keep particularly well so I've got my Ailsa Craig seeds ready to sow any time now.

I have grown Ailsa Craig from seed but find Rijnsburger 5 is the best keeper. I usually sow them at the beginning of February (first indoors, then moving into a slightly heated greenhouse before planting outside), but this year I am going to hold my horses and sow later, hoping they will catch up. When they are sown too early, there is always the possibility of them bolting because they "think", there has been winter already and they should set seed!!

I will also be trying shallots from seeds for the first time, using hints which Geoff gave us last year.

I just thought that starting them in a cold greenhouse they would go when they are ready, so where does the boxing day idea come from? Is this 'a you might just get lucky'? idea?

Had my first session of the year outside this morning. Cut down the Autumn Raspberries, shredded the prunings blended with the Christmas tree and used the result to mulch the Blueberries. Nice to get started after the weather and bug.

We have never sown onion seeds instead always using sets, last year we had to pull them early because of disease even though we got a lot of onions which were okay. I would like to sow some seeds this year but cant decide which ones to grow. We use a lot of onions. Any suggestions please.