Onions & a Useful Chart
 

I did a ground temperature test today (10-10-2015), and wasn't real surprised to see the ground temperature still being around 90F at 5 inches deep. The reason I am interested is because I want to plant onions from seed for my first time. Earlier this year, I had read about onions liking 65-75F ground temperature for germination. That left me thinking, okay, the ground is still too hot to plant onion seed. However, everything I've read about planting onion seeds in my area is to plant them in October.

Tomorrow and Monday's forecast is 96F locally and highs in the 90s the whole week. I'm thinking I'll wait to plant onion seeds a couple weeks to see if Autumn is actually going to happen this year or not. I looked at a few sites and found this useful chart and info [URL]http://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html[/URL]

Salt look at these two sites and tell me what you think.
I have planed on planting my seeds but not directly in the garden because of what it says.
Worth

[url]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDgQFjAGahUKEwi93rq7_7jIAhVC7YAKHYRkCJE&url=http%3A%2F%2Faggie-horticulture.tamu.edu%2Farchives%2Fparsons%2Fpublications%2Fonions%2FONIONGRO.html&usg=AFQjCNHBdOURmHkRZRm__kMMOP8WCE4DIA[/url]

[url]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CD8QFjAHahUKEwi93rq7_7jIAhVC7YAKHYRkCJE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.texasgardener.com%2Fpastissues%2Fnovdec05%2Fonions.html&usg=AFQjCNHxJqFbFRM-ROllf5MrYRRIhY0TKA[/url]

It looks to me that we dont want to expose them to temps below 40 to 45 degrees all winter and they dont need to be any bigger than a pencil when we set them out.

What a crap shoot. :lol:
I'm going to put mine in flats and bring them in and out of the garage and planting seeds in about 5 days or so.
Then plant again in another 10 days.

That's why they can grow them so big down south.

Worth

I agree, What a crap shoot. As I was reading the first site, I was starting to think about planting in flats in a controlled environment. Winter is hot here one day and 22F that night. Although I could help to a point by using leaves to protect them from the cold.

The second site gives a little more hope. The county we live in is zone 7B in the northern half and 8A in the southern half. We live on the southern county line. Temperatures below 20F do not happen every winter here, but it does happen.

I'm thinking of using the Texas Grano 502 and Granex Yellow Hybrid seeds like this: Grow half in flats and the other half in-ground. If all else fails, they'll be locally selling onion sets of Texas 1015Y in January.

It is a lot to think about. After looking at a lot of sites from Denton to DFW to Waco. A lot of them support planting transplants in January/February. One site must have been selling transplants because they said they cost $12 a bunch...twelve dollars. We pay $2 per bunch for 1015Y shipped from Dixondale to a local plant shop.

Starting from Seeds Video
 

I've watched some videos. I like this one: [URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehuyOPf2dU[/URL] it gives me ideas. It's a lot like I start tomato and pepper seeds - and more. Of course, you would need to adjust transplanting times for your area, but I like the overall idea of this video.

Hello Salt -

I'm in the north and I start onion seeds around Dec. Use seed no more than 2 years old if possible so don't buy too much but do try different varieties just like with tomatoes. I start seeds in flats and keep giving them haircuts. It makes them much stronger. Eventually they get planted to their own cell well in advance of plant out . Plant way more than you need and only the transplant the strong ones. You could also directly plant a variety package of onion sets as a cheap back up (about a dollar). I love the smell of fresh onions when I'm working around them.

- Lisa

First picture is of the flat I planted on October 15. They live half inside under the lights and half outside. I try to remember to turn the lights on at sunrise and off at sunset when they are inside. They should have been outside today, but I didn't think of it.

The other pictures are of second year onions and garlic. Pictures taken earlier today.

Haircut Results
 

Less than a week ago, I decided to give the onions a haircut. I trimmed them down to 2.5 inches tall. The results are obvious. The growth rate has more than doubled.

There are very few onions that do well down here. The Vidalia or Texas grano types do well here but they don't keep well. My favorite is just the plain white Bermuda which grows well here and is a decent keeper.

I start my seed sometime between early Oct. and early Dec. in my greenhouse; but it is best to start them in the middle of this time period. I put in a small window air conditioning unit to keep it cool enough to get good germination. I feed them regularly with liquid fertilizer because they are planted in DE. The DE makes it so much easier to separate them without losing so much of the root system when it is time to set them out. I set mine out as soon as they are about half the size of a pencil. I clip off the tops a few days before planting out so they are easier to handle and will stand up better and give them a good dose of fertilizer. I then let the DE dry out some so they are easy to get out and plant with a good root system intact. I then mulch them with pine bark fines to keep back some of the weeds and feed them weekly with TTF or some similar product.

Bill

Plant Out Day
 

The Grano 502 and Granex hybrids I started in the seed tray finally got to get planted in real soil today. Yesterday, we bought 3 sets of Texas 1015Y that are supposed to be from Dixondale. We paid $2 per set. The pictures of the onion I am holding and the one just set in its place are ones I planted seeds in the tray. Some of the roots are 5" or so. The lone onion sitting on a rock is one of the Texas 1015Y onions we bought.

The first picture is of the ground with oak leaves mulched and then tilled in.

Where did you buy the sets at?

Worth

Yes I am thinking of planting more onions.

I have a friend that eats every one I give her.

I bought them at the M&P shop I've written about. It was strange because it was their last day at that location. They're moving shop to their house which is about a half mile down the road.

Yes, I'll be planting more onions too. I companion plant onions near tomato plants. I've used onion bulbs for that in the past.

But thinking about it - I still have some seeds and an empty flat with the names still on the sides...hmm

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;525596]I bought them at the M&P shop I've written about. It was strange because it was their last day at that location. They're moving shop to their house which is about a half mile down the road.

Yes, I'll be planting more onions too. I companion plant onions near tomato plants. I've used onion bulbs for that in the past.

But thinking about it - I still have some seeds and an empty flat with the names still on the sides...hmm[/QUOTE]


I was hoping you would say wall mart or HEB.:lol:

You will have some green onions if you plant the seeds I am going to do it too.

I love onions.:love:

Worth

I'm thinking onion sets are around $3.50 at Walmart when they get some in. I noticed that all the garden stuff that's put out is mostly from last year. They'll be getting in new stuff soon though.

I was joking with Jan and another Walmart employee about eating onions in everything short of Jell-O :)

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;525600]I'm thinking onion sets are around $3.50 at Walmart when they get some in. I noticed that all the garden stuff that's put out is mostly from last year. They'll be getting in new stuff soon though.

I was joking with Jan and another Walmart employee about eating onions in everything short of Jell-O :)[/QUOTE]

I have to drive by a place in Austin next week or I might give them a call and go tomorrow they always have good sets.
Callahanes Hardware I just called they have everything I want I will go tomorrow.:yes::yes::yes::yes:
Red Grano white grano and 1015Y

Worth

Well, that tray was empty for a couple hours. It now has onion seeds waiting to pop up again. :lol:

That's cool Worth. I'm glad they have what you want.

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;525613]Well, that tray was empty for a couple hours. It now has onion seeds waiting to pop up again. :lol:

That's cool Worth. I'm glad they have what you want.[/QUOTE]

Me too now I will be able to have onions come one way or another I hope.
I am going to plant them tomorrow in a circle around where each tomato cage is going to be and a few more places just to see how they do.
I can also get my okra seeds while I am there they have a great selection of stuff.

I will be interested to see how big the new seeds you planted will get before the heat sets in and they fall over for the year.
Those would be the ones you want to get your green onions from.

Worth

Here are the onions I started 4 days ago - along with something else. The potting mix I used to plant the onion seeds in was used before basically. The mix was from tomato and peppers that either didn't germinate or was what was left in the cup after transplanting out whatever was planted in it. I saved it throughout the year just to use for something like this.

The two odd plants turned out to be Morning Glories.

The Grano 502 onions are coming up faster than the Granex Yellow Hybrid onions.

I was wondering what the mystery sprout was going to be.:lol:

Worth

Can we get an onion update how are they doing outside?
I hope they made it through the cold snap they should have.

Worth

First I'll show how the newly planted seeds are doing. They have taken several overnight low temps in the lower 20s.The plant lies down when it is cold. They do perk up in the heat of the day. I just watered them today with a little bit of MG tomato food (18-18-21) mixed in.

I'll post pictures of ones planted in-garden next and share a few opinions/thoughts.

In-Garden Results so far
 

The first picture has a store bought set onion on the left and one I started in a flat on the right. The one on the right - the bulb is already growing.

The second picture is how the ones I started in the flat look. The look healthy and green.

The last picture is store bought set onions growing - they look basically the same as they did the day I planted them. The two plants at the top of this picture are ones I started.

What it is looking like so far is that onions planted in the flat are able to grow quicker due to all the roots. But time will tell.

My red and white grano are coming along faster than the 10 15's are but they have now started to perk up too.
These next few days of wind out of the south and warmer weather will help a lot.
Worth

First Onions 2016
 

These three got planted by the wind. We needed onions for tacos :)

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;536151]These three got planted by the wind. We needed onions for tacos :)[/QUOTE]

Cool.8-)

Worth

Hey Salt,
I just got some cippolini onion seeds and wanted to start asap - would have started a month ago if I had the seeds - and I remembered you had linked that great chart....
THANKS, you just saved me from messing up putting onion seeds on the heat mat. :D
Seems like the temperature in the house is mostly around 64 F, so a little below optimal. But warmer is worse! Super chart. :yes:

I could use some advice here! I'll take a leap of faith and plant out my onions started from seed in January (Copra and Candy) since the weather is so mild. I tucked the bed under a thick layer of leaves last fall, but there hasn't been much obvious decaying. Should I mix the leaves in or pull them back and leave the soil exposed? I don't remember ever seeing onions mulched with leaves. Should I throw some extra granular 10-10-10 in to compensate?

- Lisa

Thank you Bower :) I like it too.

I've been looking (Glancing) at the chart above as well. Without getting up at 3am to check soil temperatures - I've noticed our soil temperatures being 58F early in the morning, and 72F near the end of day. That is around 3-4 weeks earlier than usual here. I've spent the last few days finishing up projects like our raised beds and over the past week since February 28th, I've planted out 76 tomato plants into the garden.

Healthwise, I have pushed myself beyond limits trying to get things done weeks before they would normally need to be finished.

Lisa, I want to be able to answer your questions better, but to answer them honestly as I see them is the best I can do.

I went to college majoring in computer science, so whatever I would write about using dried leaves would just be from my experience and not be accredited.

In my personal experience dried leaves need to be mulched or crumbled up - the smaller the better. You can mow them with a mulching mower or even crush them up with your hands. I have done both in the past two days. Turning those leaves under into the soil helps build a more naturally amended soil. Unmulched whole leaves seem take years to decompose. Maybe it is the air needed isn't as available?

As far as using 10-10-10, I use it sparingly. A balanced fertilizer sounds good to me. But I have read friends posts here saying that fertilizer is bad also.

The thing is that every one of our gardens are different. In my gardens, I'm not so sure about adding fertilizers, but it's on my gardening list to buy - but there's a good chance I won't buy it.

Lisa, I wish I could have answered better.