2019-2020 Onion Chronicles.
 

[B]10/19/2019[/B]

For some time now I have been pondering getting onion seeds for this year.
What to do where to get?????

Big box stores seed racks gone or wrong kind.
Grocery store seed racks gone.
Too lazy to order on line.:roll:
Stopped at Callahan's General Store on the way home yesterday.
They have field sized packs of seeds.
All they had for the 10-15-Y seeds were the 1/4 pound packages.
That's around 30,000 seeds. :shock::?::lol:
I just wanted to get home but pulled over in Friday road construction traffic anyway and was glad I did.
It was like a sea of cars at this spot and was at the mercy of others to get back into line and on down the road.
Thankfully the folks are a lot nicer in this area and let me in line.
Mostly kind and goodly truckers coming back with a load from the pits by the river.

Now what to do with all these seeds.:?!?:

10/19/2019
 

Onion hatchery started.
Mass planting in rows about three inches apart.
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You're going to need a bigger tub. :twisted: Worth, that is a lot of onions. I think you're going to have to increase your diet from the standard 5 per day! :P:lol:
I greatly wish I had a place to grow onions. Lots of onions! Allium crazy here.

[QUOTE=bower;748098]You're going to need a bigger tub. :twisted: Worth, that is a lot of onions. I think you're going to have to increase your diet from the standard 5 per day! :P:lol:
I greatly wish I had a place to grow onions. Lots of onions! Allium crazy here.[/QUOTE]


This is the hatchery, the other onion sites are on the way.
Plus re purposing some old aluminum glass tile frames to grow some in as an experiment.
I didn't knock a dent in the 1/4 pound of seeds.

I also just mass planted some cabbage seeds in another tub.
Early Jersey Wakefield.
This should be the last really hot weekend I hope.

Farmer friend planted them like grass in his starter trays.
Cut them off with shears so they wouldn't fall and tangle before planting out.
That's up north here, don't know what makes sense in TX.

[QUOTE=Nematode;748101]Farmer friend planted them like grass in his starter trays.
Cut them off with shears so they wouldn't fall and tangle before planting out.
That's up north here, don't know what makes sense in TX.[/QUOTE]

In Texas my area it recommends planting now.
We all know it isn't the same from one year to the next.
Farther north in Texas it says no to planting seeds now.
I might start more seeds in about two weeks or less.
[URL="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiA5LTVnanlAhUpgK0KHRibBEsQFjAAegQIABAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fagrilifeextension.tamu.edu%2Fbrowse%2Ffeatured-solutions%2Fgardening-landscaping%2Ffall-vegetable-gardening-guide-for-texas%2F&usg=AOvVaw3CTfrGAuV3pruopHeC6lk7"]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiA5LTVnanlAhUpgK0KHRibBEsQFjAAegQIABAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fagrilifeextension.tamu.edu%2Fbrowse%2Ffeatured-solutions%2Fgardening-landscaping%2Ffall-vegetable-gardening-guide-for-texas%2F&usg=AOvVaw3CTfrGAuV3pruopHeC6lk7[/URL]

Chart

[URL]https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/average-planting-dates-for-fall-vegetables-in-texas.png[/URL]

want to add I am in the lower part of Zone III almost IV.

I usually start onion seed two months from planting date. For me it takes that long to get a 1/8" wide seedling which is the smallest I want to handle for planting. Now, mine grow under lights with periodic haircuts and then get set out to harden. Started outside in a much deeper container, yours might just grow faster. It will be fun to watch.

Wow these seeds sprouted seemingly over night. :shock:

No they are green onions from the store that will get even bigger.:lol:

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What to do with all those onions? Harvest, & dice them. Put huge bags of them in your freezer to be pulled out in handfuls at the slightest provocation.

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;748140]What to do with all those onions? Harvest, & dice them. Put huge bags of them in your freezer to be pulled out in handfuls at the slightest provocation.[/QUOTE]
I think the bigger question is, how much land do you need to grow 30,000 onions. ;) On account of onion seed being good only for a year or two.
Now here is another option, Worth: you can grow some sets for next season.

How to:
[url]https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/ORC00000286/PDF[/url]
The Home Production of Onion Seed and Sets USDA Farmers Bulletin 434
Fantastic read there. :D
Basic plan for growing sets: keep the seeds really crowded, don't feed, hold back the water and let em dry down early.8-)

About 2 acres is my count as to how much land you need with spacing sets.


I have some 4 year old seeds I am going to plant and see what happens.
What have I got to lose.
Red Burgundy.
Sweet Yellow Spanish Uta jumbo long day
And Granex.

I read where tomato seeds are good for 4 years and we all know that is hog wash.
Gotten 99% germination from some really old seeds Carolyn sent me some years ago.
Like 12 to 15 years or close to it, not in her seed offer.

Also planted some elephant garlic and regular mystery garlic today I collected from this years wee crop.
I highly doubt the elephant will make it but we shall see.

Onion seeds do have an expiration date unless frozen, my experience.

Sprinkle them along the tree/property line and let Mother Nature do her thing as an experiment.

[QUOTE=Rajun Gardener;748162]Onion seeds do have an expiration date unless frozen, my experience.

Sprinkle them along the tree/property line and let Mother Nature do her thing as an experiment.[/QUOTE]

They do freeze well. The Red Creole seed I started this fall was 2016 seed that had been stashed in the freezer as soon as I had finished sowing them that year.

Well these were in a drawer where I keep my kitchen pistol.:lol:

So now we'll find out whether onion seeds keep better when stored with a pistol. :lol::P

Worth,
I really like the 1015 Y onion. I purchase and typically plant about 400 seedlings in January. This year, my supplier had sold all his 1015Y seedlings when I was ready to plant. He had a couple of cases of a new onion called Texas Legend and said growers report them to be superior to 1015Y. I bought and planted 200 seedlings. I found and planted the same amount of 1015 Y.


I found the Texas Legend produces larger bulbs, two weeks earlier than 1015Y. I stored some bulbs hanging in mesh bags back in late June. The remaining bag has thirty or forty medium sized bulbs in it and not even one onion has started to rot. I always lost a lot of 1015Y in storage. They are as sweet or sweeter than 1015 Y.


Don't switch over, but you might be interested in trying some Texas Legend seedlings side by side with the 1015Y onions.

I must be the odd person out as I like those mean ol' onions, the strong ones that'll make you cry! To me, they caramelize with a better taste and last a long time, too. Getting hard to find, so many want sweet onions.

Actually Imp, I like both. I've never tried growing the White Granix which have so much sulfur in them, your eyes water when cutting them. I don't grow them because I can buy them cheaply at the grocery store and they have already been hardened. They do make better grilled onions and they are best as a topping on red beans and rice and other things. I prefer the sweet onions caramelized. The higher sugar content makes them caramelize better.

I cook the old meanies in an\ old cast iron pan with a dab of bacon grease, low and slow. Might start out with that big deep skillet heaped up, but when done, it's never enough as I just love to eat them that way. When I was pregnant, I craved slow cooked down onions every time, eating them daily and by the dinner plate full, LOL!! Just could not get enough of them back then.

I forgot may daily onion yesterday.:(

[QUOTE=DonDuck;748174]Worth,
I found the Texas Legend produces larger bulbs, two weeks earlier than 1015Y. I stored some bulbs hanging in mesh bags back in late June. The remaining bag has thirty or forty medium sized bulbs in it and not even one onion has started to rot. I always lost a lot of 1015Y in storage. They are as sweet or sweeter than 1015 Y.
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that, Don. I will have to look for the seed next year and try some.

I listen to to gardening show on the radio on Sundays.
The guy that owns the natural garden in Austin said that this was the best time of the year to start a garden where I live.
He also said last weekend was the end of the hot weather.
I hope so and agree.

10/26/2019
 

First onions and cabbage sprouting. :D
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[QUOTE=Worth1;748167]Well these were in a drawer where I keep my kitchen pistol.:lol:[/QUOTE]
"Kitchen pistol." Hmmm. Either:

a.) you cook some bizarre cuisine, or
b.) your kitchen is way too dangerous.
:lol:

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;748506]"Kitchen pistol." Hmmm. Either:

a.) you cook some bizarre cuisine, or
b.) your kitchen is way too dangerous.
:lol:[/QUOTE]
None of the above.
I dont have one stashed in every nook and cranny of the house but one where I can get to it in times of need.
The one in question was my late wife's and she used it once to run off a would be rapist trying to beat the front door down.
Mine I used to stop a thug from beating the hell out of a young lady.
Sorry to bring it up but it is true.:(

The world is going crazy. Mine is always on my hip but covered. Just renewed my license. It's required every five years. I've carried for so many years, I can't remember when I started. I hope and pray I never need to use it.

10/27/19
 

More onion seeds sprouted over night and it got down to 44F too.:D

10/27/19
 

Just dumped the onion seeds from 2015 in separate flats with wet paper towels to see if any germinate.
I don't expect any to germinate but we shall see.
Granex hybrid short day.
The giant Spanish onion long day.
And the Red Burgundy short day.

Daylight savings time is ending the coming Sunday.
I wonder if it is going to mess my onions up.:?!?: