Seed or Start?

[AZGardener]

Hey guys- This year I was very quick when it came to my onions bc the tomatoes and my kids took priority Next season I am going to give the onions a serious go. What's better, starting by seed or by start? Where do you get your starts or seeds? Online or from the box store?

I planted a good 80+ by start BUT they look very wimpy? They are all tucked between the tomatoes and I'm not sure what the key is for these guys? Since I water my tomatoes every couple days, do they need more watering? Some look very perky but many look very limp and are falling over (the greens that is). Just trying to get some advice before fall ordering. I'm going to give garlic a try too... Hoping for garlic and onions next spring! Thanks!

[pauldavid]

I always plant out sets in February where I live that come from a feed store. I incorporate a lot of compost before planting and water every week if we receive less than an inch of rain. Make sure that you are planting the right types, as onions are sensitive to day length. I like 1015Y Texas Supersweet the best, this is a Vidalia type onion. I have tried different garlic but have the best luck with elephant garlic as this is actually a type of leek. I also plant my onions by themselves. Good luck to you AZ!

[joseph]

Starting with plants or small bulbs from the nursery is definitely easier than starting from seeds...

Until recent years, I grew onions from bulbs or plants obtained from the nursery. Then I vowed that I would grow all of my own seed for my garden, so I stopped planting very many onions... Because it's too much work to keep little tiny onion seedlings weeded. They grow fine from seeds, just takes more work weeding than I'm willing to expend. So this year I grew my own onion plants in the greenhouse: About 50 seeds per 3.5 inch pot, transplanted out when they are about 4" tall.

I put them out into the garden when they look like this. I don't give them haircuts. I didn't get too ambitious this year, I only planted 3 rows.

[Father'sDaughter]

I always have started indoors from seed just like Joseph shows in his picture. I do let mine get a bit larger before plant out. Up here in the Northeast I typically start them in late January for plant out in mid-April. Seeds give you a lot more variety options -- you're only limited by day length.

You will need to start reducing the watering as they get close to harvest time which might be a challenge since you've inter-planted them with the tomatoes. I usually dedicate a block of space to only onions in order to cut back on the water when needed.

[AlittleSalt]

Before becoming a Tomatoville member, my answer would be one sentence long:

I buy sets/starts from a mom and pop shop in January.

But that's too simple

Last October, some of the members were writing about starting onions from seed. "Salt, you gotta try it too"... I just happened to have a bunch of onions that I grew last spring. Some of them had green shoots starting, so I planted them in October. They overwintered just fine and before long, I'll have enough onion seeds to plant the world with onions.
Onions are biennials. The second year, they produce seeds. So, it looks like I'm going to learn how grow them by seed.

[AZGardener]

Thanks guys! I started a Creole red type (I cant recall the actual name) and Walla Walla. Both are getting a little water almost daily but not too much because of being interplanted in the tomato beds. I don't have TONS of room so I have to plant everything together. My focus is always tomatoes, then squash and peppers, cucumbers finally, and then onions. I will try and start from seed next year when I start my tomatoes but I tend to dedicate all my lights and space to maters. Gah! All I need is onions and garlic and I will have a complete garden...
Again- when I move to a farm, one day, I will dedicate major space to each. Until now, I need to maximize my space for all...

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by AZGardener

Thanks guys! I started a Creole red type (I cant recall the actual name) and Walla Walla. Both are getting a little water almost daily but not too much because of being interplanted in the tomato beds. I don't have TONS of room so I have to plant everything together. My focus is always tomatoes, then squash and peppers, cucumbers finally, and then onions. I will try and start from seed next year when I start my tomatoes but I tend to dedicate all my lights and space to maters. Gah! All I need is onions and garlic and I will have a complete garden...
Again- when I move to a farm, one day, I will dedicate major space to each. Until now, I need to maximize my space for all...

Isnt walla walla a long day onion? Someone correct me if Im wrong.

You need to concentrate on short day onions that will finish bulbing before the summer begins. Like the Texas Grano types.

Long day onions wont even start bulbing till mid summer at your latitude because your day length is to short. By that time it is way to hot for onions. In Walla Walla the summer day is much longer so it can bulb at a time when the climate wont be lethal to it.

Also, if you want to start from seed, do so in late september. Put them out in the growing bed November ish and you will have huge sweet onions in May.

[Stvrob]

These are probably the onions you should pick from:
http://www.dixondalefarms.com/category/short_day_onions

You can grow huge onions from seed, but if you forget or get lazy or whatever, you can order plants and set them out late winter.

[AZGardener]

Well that's what I get for buying what the box store had!! Dang I thought I knew better. Lol!!! So should I just leave them in until mid summer? I can continue to water and see what happens? I saw Dixondale's site, wow. Pretty amazing stuff. It makes me want to order a big box of onions

Stvrob- That's genius. Why didn't I think of that?! Lol- I will try the onions by seed this Nov and MAYBE I will have onions by next May. Thanks guys.

Does the same go for Garlic? Where do you guys get your bulbs? Curious. I see SSE has some pretty neat varieties...

[Father'sDaughter]

I've purchased garlic seed stock from Territorial Seed Company and Peaceful Valley. And everything you ever wanted to know about garlic varieties can be found here -- http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/varietys.htm

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by AZGardener

Well that's what I get for buying what the box store had!! Dang I thought I knew better. Lol!!! So should I just leave them in until mid summer? I can continue to water and see what happens? I saw Dixondale's site, wow. Pretty amazing stuff. It makes me want to order a big box of onions

Stvrob- That's genius. Why didn't I think of that?! Lol- I will try the onions by seed this Nov and MAYBE I will have onions by next May. Thanks guys.

Does the same go for Garlic? Where do you guys get your bulbs? Curious. I see SSE has some pretty neat varieties...

Start your short day onion seeds in a nice little area of your garden in late september or october. They can be fairly dense and dont need lots of room. Lift them and transplant them to your onion bed in november or maybe early december. I am assuming your winter is sunny and fairly warm, and ideal for growing onion plants. With water and fertilizer all winter they will be sizable plants come April. The longer days, (actually shorter nights) will trigger bulbing and by May you should have big sweet onions ready to lift out of the ground just before the the lethal temperatures set in.

If you order plants, they probably wont ship till late winter so they wont have quite as much time for them to grow as big in your onion bed, but it will still work well.

This is all for growers at lower latitudes. Growing long day onions at higher latitudes is completely different, and Im not familiar with that.

Also, garlic is different too.

[AZGardener]

Thanks for all the great info everyone