When I tried growing onions, I got teeny ones (about double the size of a pearl onion). When I threw a cutt bottom of an onion into my compost, it regrew and was the size of a cantaloupe! 😄
No need to thin them! When you’re ready to transplant just separate them and transplant ALL of them. I pack my seeds in when sowing and they look like grass. So easy to separate.
@@thecitysteadkitchen just for onion. Their roots can be handled and exposed for days before replanting. I lay mine on the ground and cover the roots with soil. Within a week, they’re standing up.
We use almost exclusively pelleted seed from Johnny's with 95-100% germination. Tubs we use are about 4"d x 6"w x 12"l. Set the seeds on surface on 1/2" grid. Sprinkle soil mix over seeds, lightly tamp down, moisten, cover, and put on a heat mat. Once germinated off comes the cover and tubs go under lights, no mat. Once they've got 3 leaves start watering with 1tbls fish emulsion to 2 liters of water every 3-4 days, until set out. Trimmed as necessary until weather permits. Any seeds that didn't germinate get reseeded before the tub comes off the mats. We live in Maine, so, all are long day variety. Patterson, Ailsa Craig, Expression, and Monastrell. All of our onion seeds get stored in empty prescription bottles. They seal and protect against sunlight. Last 2 years using heat mat germination time was 4-6 days. This will be our 3rd year on our Patterson seed. The tubs we got at the Dollar Store. We'll see what happens. 😊 First time here, very nice, well explained video. TYFS
Hi Melissa, we plant onions in a 10” x 18“ x 2” planter. sprinkling half the seeds on the soil and then using a board to press them into the soil. Then we keep them cut minimum 2 1/2 inch high, four or five cuttings before we plant them in the garden. We buy our seeds from Osborne seed company out of Mount Vernon Washington. We like their yellow storage onion called “frontier”. About 1000 seeds are in a package. They say the germination rate is 90% the first year and about 50% the second year. We plant them in the garden in March /early April depending on how dry the soil is. Blessings to you and your family!
Hey y'all, So this year I went all in on onions 300 onions seeds. 4 varieties. Last year I followed the Old Alabama gardener methods and did very very well. so I am excited I started the seeds on Feb 7th as his video states so I should see sprouts any day now. I used the 200 cell trays so where ever one does not germinate I can put another seed of the right variety in its pace until we are 100% full on the 300 count. Wherever multiples show up I can try to move them see if that works. Thank you for the onion video esp all the great soil information God bless y'all bye for now
I used sets many years ago and had a pitiful harvest. Skipped them for many years but last year I got motivated to try from seed. What a great surprise. I had good germination rate, they separated easily and grew well everywhere I put them. I will never use sets again! I will be starting next week.
I was under the impression that using seeds I would have to wait for the second year to get a harvest. I am so grateful that you shared your knowledge, this is seriously the greatest timing for you to post this video!!! I needed to learn this and you made it easy to understand!
You’re close! Lol. Onion are biennial, so you have to wait for the second year for onion to go to seed, but they produce onion bulbs in their first year.
I actually learned something new today after watching this video. Now I know why my onion seeds did not germinate at all last year. It's because they were over a year old. Out of all the gardening channels and their videos I have watched so far, not one of them mentioned that. Thanks for that valuable information. Luckily I bought new seeds this year. ~ Laurie
We planted onion sets the past two years and the largest was approx 2 inches. Others who planted from seed got the very large onions. So I researched it and it seems that sets never give you large onions where as seeds do. Our onions when we harvested for the most part where similar in size to you’re little guy in the video. We cut them up and froze them in bags and have lasted great in the freezer with no loss of taste.
Put them,seeds under a grow light, set it on 16 hours and pot them with room so they can establish well. You can transplant later in season when your days are long works on all onions. I live in Virginia grew walla walla last year and they were harvested in late July, dried for three weeks and still are fine in the basement. When you pot them layer with potting mix then fertilizer in the lower level of pot. The light at sixteen hours sets the bulb early the bulb will not set-properly until the day reaches its maximum hours the light fakes that.
I love the Red Wing. We are still working on ours from last year's garden (Now May 2022). We love Patterson for keeping too. The Candy variety actually keeps well for us.
The red candy onion are my favorites can't find seed , so in winter if I have some of the red candy onions are spoiling I put them in the garden in a row, all onions you can do this makes them the second year so you well have seed heads, so now I us my own onion seeds from now on free , 6 big flats all mine, especially the red candy onions they well not sell to us.
I just came across your Channel last night and I’m obsessed. To learn you’re in Washington and I’m in British Columbia right near the border makes me realize our climates are so similar and I CAN learn how to grow similar plants as you !! So happy I found your channel ❤️
Hi Melissa! I stumbled across your channel this afternoon and must have watched 5 of your videos already. I learned so much and you explain everything so well! I have always avoided subscribing to any channels but I subscribed for yours today! :) Looking forward to what's next!
The onion seeds I planted this year are about 4 years old, from Seedsavers Exchange, which are packaged in a foil envelope. This year the germination rate is about 90%, onion type is Ailsa Craig. I store them in the original packaging inside an airtight container.
I started Patterson last year here in zone 6a Ohio around mid-february. I planted them outside in May and at the time they were still tiny with no bulb formation yet. But, by mid-late summer, they grew to a nice size. Probably considered medium size by most cooking standards. So, I don't think all onion varieties need to be started super early, but it probably would help to grow them early if you're going for huge bulbs.
This year I started a 10x20 tray with 3 different seed sources for Walla Walla onions. the first was 2021 seeds from Burpee. The second was 2022 seeds from Burpee. The third were seeds I saved from my last years flowers. The 2021 seeds did not germinate. The 2022 seeds did germinate slowly but at about 50%. The saved seeds germinated first and were plentiful. So I agree get seeds from someone who saves there own.
How are your onions doing? I'd like to see a follow up video or picture. I started 2 year old onion seeds the same way after watching your video I was surprised how many came up I just sprinkled them didn't bother putting them in rows cause they were so old. Only took a week to germinate! Then I started my new onions seeds in rows like you did and one popped up in 3 days! Can't wait to see how yours are doing
Live in NorCal and am 70 years old. never grew a thing. this year I want to try grow bag stuff did not realize it was so much work! LOL... but fun tatoes and red lettuce carrots cherry maters onions (red) and yellow squash.... wish me luck eveyone I know is surprised I havent killed everything so far!
Great tips on starting seeds, very similar to how I start all my seeds…tomatoes, peppers, herbs. I have yet to master onions by seed but I continue to try.
WOW!! Love this!! I am a newbie gardener and don't know anything... so I appreciate you really giving information. I'd love to follow the growing process of what you do as the seed starting phase goes on. Please share everything. Love what you do.. Thank you!!
I got a packet of the Newburg seeds, and I'm excited about them. I read an article where several OP varieties were tested for storage life, and they were the best. By the way, I noticed your December mouse calendar! We have one that we got long ago when I was a kid. We put candy in the pockets and moved the mouse to count down the days to Christmas. 😊
I've only learned to plant on top last season and I taught myself start bulb inside letting the top get up to 6 inches and roots will be longer enables me to bury roots and water in and next day all standing tall and grew every day having up to 3.5 inches and only fertilizer at planting, Believe I'll improve with seeds and 2 feedings Thanks I'm liking what you are teaching Lady
Right?! I’m trying again this year too but dang. Glad I grew other things that were successful that year or I would have thought I couldn’t grow anything.
I do my onion seed starting a little differently but seems to aid in the germination process. Also over watering is an onion killer. Starve em a little , just keep em moist. i did a couple vids as well on it. Once you get it down youll never want to buy another onion in the store.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Melissa! I have that very same little onion in my kitchen right now. Last summer was so unusual for us here in northern MN as well. We are also really close to the Canadian border so we get the delicious long summer days.
I found out few days ago my germinated onion seeds that I was growing in paper egg cartons had white and green mold all over. I used new bags of potting soil and baked them before seeding, so I believe the mold was from the egg cartons. Now I have to restart and I will try using tint foil baking tray. This will be my first garden and excited to learn everything I could.
Sometimes mold also grows on top of the soil surface from not getting enough air flow. If the soil is moist and is kept covered or in still air, mold will grow. If that is what may have happened, try turning a low fan on in the room or find a way to allow air flow.
Live in the south I am getting my bunch delivered this week and getting them planted . Along with my radishes, and in my grow tunnel I will start my Romain lettuce but waiting till March 15th for my tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, honeydew, greenbeans, squash,zucchini, . Set up my large grow bags for my potato starts and a area for my asparagus I know it takes along time but that’s ok,
I picked up some really good information about growing tomatoes from seed that may be useful for onions, I haven't tried it on them and I've never tried onion seeds. I got the info from Donald over at the Bayou Gardener YT channel and his forum. Unfortunately Donald passed a few years ago. The channel is still up though not updated other than some of us dropping by to remember him. So back to the info. I plant my tomatoes, indoors, on a heat mat, with a grow light and a small variable speed fan. More on the fan in a sec. I don't use the light until the seeds come up. I can vary intensity two ways, distance from the plant and time. The heat mat is always on but the grow light and fan turn off and on with a timer. The idea of the timer is to mimic the diurnal changes in light. You can "fake" your zone by leaving it on for longer or shorter time periods. So what's the fan for? The fan simulates a slight breeze that causes kind of a rocking motion in the stem of the plant. That makes the plant reinforce the stem by making it thicker. When the plants are small the fan is set back from the plants and set to low. As they get taller and heavier I increase the "wind speed" but always looking for what I would expect to see in nature. I made some of the best tomato sets that I've ever used doing it this way.
The fan is fine but onions don't like heat (tomatoes are a warm weather crop) as they're a cool weather crop and aren't deep rooted like tomato plants. I wouldn't use a heat mat unless you're trying to start them in a room below 50 degrees F.
@@MelissaKNorris I forgot about that. Here in TX (Gulf Coast area) we don't get much cold (not counting last winter's drama). We start tomatoes in Nov / Dec. The seedlings are usually in the ground right about now but covered at night, just in case. I'm not home enough (work in NM) to be able to do any of that but I will be one of these days. I think onion seeds would be pretty happy started outside in Jan / Feb. My pecan trees let me know when winter is finished.
Thank you thank you thank you! Even though I live in a completely different Zone in Florida and I have to grow short date onions you have explained so many of the issues I have been having. I do have a question though. If promix is a sterile as I think you said, when do you start adding nutrition back into the soil. I went to the link for the soil from your video and it was not for any sterile mix. Most of the seed-starting mixes have peat moss in them which has the fungal gnat larvae in it the majority of the time. Even when I have bought seed starting mix I have gone ahead and sterilized it because I can't stand those gnats in my house. Anyway thank you so much for this UA-cam it is going to change my garden life
Thank you for this, I started my onion seeds two weeks ago and I have very few that germinated. So today I will be starting more, I'm 12 weeks out from my last frost so I'm gonna be a little late but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. So sad my first sowing didn't pan out but it is what it is.
Good news, on a whim before throwing them out I brought them in out of my greenhouse with a grow light and they sprouted like crazy! They are now around 4 inches tall. I don't think all the seeds did but a good bit did. Lesson here do not ever give up if you think seeds are trash and won't germinate change their environment and give them a few more days!!
I have never thought to use the lids during germination. What a great idea! I guess I won't just be cutting those lids off anymore when I use them for my seeds!
The germination stage of gardening is a wonderful opportunity to do all kinds of your own field trials. Seeds are fairly cheap and germination time is relatively short so you can test all kinds of ways to germinate your seeds and compare which method works best for you. Over many years I've tested different kinds of germination mediums, heat mats (or no heat), lights or no light, etc.
@@thetruehustler1365 The first thing I learned is that I don't have to obsess about which germination medium I use: coir, vermiculite, peat moss, potting soil or compost. I never noticed a significant difference. I use compost only for those plants that I do not intend to "pot up" (e.g. peas, beans, beets). If I don't have compost available, I'll use potting soil with perlite added (if I don't have perlite available, I'll use potting soil only). I haven't (yet) tested whether the addition of perlite actually is worth it. For now, it's just a habit, rather than a recommendation. Heat mats: tend to help seeds germinate more quickly but not significantly so (maybe a difference of 3 or 4 days). I found no significant difference in germination rates with or without. Humidity domes: Not a significant factor for germinating seeds and if you ensure that you keep your germination medium damp, you will have success without a dome. They are more a matter of convenience. Lights or no lights: I've read where there are some plants that require no light for germination and others that require light. My admittedly limited testing shows there's no difference for the veggies I grow. So, why bother with lights at all or why make any extra effort to ensure darkness if it doesn't matter? I will admit that germinating under lights can save you if your seeds have caught you by surprise and germinated early. This happened to me once and my seedlings started out rather spindly and leggy. My habit is to watch them closely and put them under lights as soon as I notice any germination. Here's another thing I do more out of convenience than a result of testing: When I sow seeds into cells filled with whatever germination medium I'm using, I will cover them with either a layer of vermiculite or finely sifted compost or potting soil. Then I spray the surface with water to dampen it. I suspect that doing this is more forgiving in terms of how deep I sow the seeds. When to "pot up": At some time you'll have to move your seedlings from their sterile containers to a container that holds a fertile medium. The general advice is to do this as soon as your seedlings develop their first set of "true leaves". I've tested this advice and found it doesn't make much difference. You can remove your seedlings earlier or later and it doesn't make any difference. Some things I don't do: I never use garden soil. Too much risk of bringing unwanted pests and diseases inside. I never make my own germination mix: Why bother if it doesn't show any real advantage over the many simpler alternatives? I never use the paper towel/baggie method of germinating seeds. I tried it and while it is useful to determine the viability of older seeds, I find it a pain to transfer each of those tiny, germinated seeds into a pot. Top watering: I either immerse my containers in water for a few minutes or use a sprayer to keep the soil moist. Top watering disturbs and displaces (especially tiny) seeds and their fine roots. I'm hoping that you find my reply helpful. And, while I've given you a lot of detail as to how I do things, what I'm trying to convey is that there is no single, ultimate ways to germinate seeds. Do what is simple, cheap and convenient and it will probably work. Cheers.
Try Red Mountain for a great long-storing red onion. I grew it for the first time last year and they are still, on Feb 15th, as firm and perfect as the day I harvested them. They are very sweet but quite pungent as well.
This year I am going to try my hand at mixing my own germination soil using coconut coir, vermiculite, and peat moss. Have you ever bought onion plants instead of the bulb starts? I seem to have good success with those. Many small hardware stores or feed stores sell them.
I think coconut coir and peat moss both serve the same purpose. And peat moss almost always has eggs or pre larval stage of fungal gnats. If you're using the peat moss you might want to sterilize the soil you're making if you are bringing it into your house. I am using peat moss only for large containers that are going outside from now on to avoid this issue. I am tired of sterilizing the homemade seed starting mix. And from what I see most seed-starting mixes that are available commercially still need to be sterilized prior to indoor use
10,000 views in the first 12 hours! Impressive! I definitely need to know if I'd better get planting my onions this year already! Who knows how this crazy year will go in Oregon... we have had ZERO rain since Christmas... less than .001 tenth of an inch of rain in 2022. Ugh, what are we in store for this gardening season? We shall see. Thank you Melissa for your wisdom and info, fellow PNWesterner. :)
I keep planting onions twice a year(on my 3rd year now) but I keep putting off harvesting them eventually forgetting altogether. I have planted globo, ailsa craig, texas grano, italian red torpedo and walla walla. All from seed. I need to be a better gardener. Thanks for the video! - Zee, N. Cali zone10a
I am trying winter sowing this year for the first time! Yay! It will be too late now for me, but for the future, are onions successful grown by WS method?
I started mine about 4 weeks ago after having horrible germination rates and having to start over several times last year. This year amazing germination rates and they are already ready for their first hair cut.
@@kimecollinss i live just north of Seattle. I bought yellow of Parma and yellow sweet Spanish from baker creek rare seeds. I bought my walla walla from Amazon.
Hello. Good video. Do you keep them in those same containers straight through planting? Sorry if you said you did or didn't, but I might have missed it.
Purchased Pansy seeds in January, the grandkids planted those pelleted Pansys 8n March , but after 4 weeks, no plants, then I replanted and still no plants after 3 weeks. Pelleted seeds seem to be a bust.
I’m a bit confused by when you plant your onions out Melissa. Most websites state to do it as soon as the soil is workable but you state to do it after the last frost. Which works better? I get abysmally small onions too every year and I find the little seedlings struggle with late frosts if planted out early.
I find mine do better when I plant them out after the last frost but am running some tests this year (different planting dates to see how final size is impacted)
Newbie here - I followed your video and now have around 2-3” tall seedlings! 😄 QUESTION: how often do you water them at this stage, and should I continue using the spray bottle to do so?
Relatively new to your channel. One question I got watching this. One. You mention getting seeds from your area or sets etc. What growing zone are you in ?
ok newbie question- are you growing them this year until they are similar in size to store bought sets and then storing them indoors and replanting in spring & then you harvest them nice n big? Thank you! love your youtube channel learning so much!
When buying seeds, it is nice to find a supplier that tells the general location where each variety is sourced from. That way one can research the climate of that location to compare with one's local climate.
Also if you live in a long day climate can you plant any of the onions being that they would get the sufficient amount of sunlight needed( just extra sun for some varieties that are moderate and short day)? I hope that makes sense
I live in Southern California a few of mine stay in the ground over winter. They die back and will grow next year but concentrate on producing seeds. Onions are biennial which means they produce seeds during the second year. We do not get hard freezes here but I would imagine if you do the bulbs would rot or die if you kept them in the ground.
@@ritagibson225 I over winter my bunching onions here in the pacific northwest. They survived the snow and several days of frozen temperatures. The smaller bulbs might have something to do with them surviving but no rot issues that I have noticed.
Hello, I bought onion seeds and want to eventually seeds save. I know that onoins are a biannual, so I know it wont flower until year 2. I am confused on how you seed save onions.. If the onion doesn't flower, you don't get seeds, if I don't get seeds to plant for next year, I cant grow those onions again. I would have to buy new seeds, which means starting from year 1 again. What step am i missing to be able to seed save biannual crops like onions? thank you
I live in Wisconsin and no matter what house I have lived in I cannot find that nice warm spot to start seeds or let bread rise. Anyone got a cheap way to make a small warm place for me to do this ?? Greatly Appreciated 💚💚
You can replant and it will grow however it will concentrate its growth on making seeds. You can still use the bulb, but you can also save the seeds. Onions are biennial which means it’ll seed during the second year.
I had such a bad experience with pro mix that I will never buy it again. A third or more of the bag was filled with branches..some 8 inches long and more than an inch wide. For what was supposed to be premium soil. It was worse than cheap brands
I sub to a channel where among other things the guy shows meal prep & him sitting down to eat. At EVERY meal, he will place a skinned big onion next to his plate. As he eats, he will pickup the onion & take a big ol' bite like it was an apple. I know what onions on a sandwich does to my breath, No wonder this guy lives alone. !
When I tried growing onions, I got teeny ones (about double the size of a pearl onion). When I threw a cutt bottom of an onion into my compost, it regrew and was the size of a cantaloupe! 😄
No need to thin them! When you’re ready to transplant just separate them and transplant ALL of them. I pack my seeds in when sowing and they look like grass. So easy to separate.
Great 👍🏻 tip
I’ve seen green houses do this too, and literally dump trays out to repot. Do you do this for all seedlings or just onions?
🎯
@@thecitysteadkitchen just for onion. Their roots can be handled and exposed for days before replanting. I lay mine on the ground and cover the roots with soil. Within a week, they’re standing up.
many other species it depends on a large number of specific factors. @@thecitysteadkitchen
We use almost exclusively pelleted seed from Johnny's with 95-100% germination.
Tubs we use are about 4"d x 6"w x 12"l. Set the seeds on surface on 1/2" grid.
Sprinkle soil mix over seeds, lightly tamp down, moisten, cover, and put on a heat
mat. Once germinated off comes the cover and tubs go under lights, no mat.
Once they've got 3 leaves start watering with 1tbls fish emulsion to 2 liters of water
every 3-4 days, until set out. Trimmed as necessary until weather permits. Any seeds
that didn't germinate get reseeded before the tub comes off the mats. We live in Maine,
so, all are long day variety. Patterson, Ailsa Craig, Expression, and Monastrell.
All of our onion seeds get stored in empty prescription bottles. They seal and
protect against sunlight. Last 2 years using heat mat germination time was 4-6 days.
This will be our 3rd year on our Patterson seed. The tubs we got at the Dollar Store.
We'll see what happens. 😊
First time here, very nice, well explained video.
TYFS
Hi Melissa, we plant onions in a 10” x 18“ x 2” planter. sprinkling half the seeds on the soil and then using a board to press them into the soil. Then we keep them cut minimum 2 1/2 inch high, four or five cuttings before we plant them in the garden. We buy our seeds from Osborne seed company out of Mount Vernon Washington. We like their yellow storage onion called “frontier”. About 1000 seeds are in a package. They say the germination rate is 90% the first year and about 50% the second year. We plant them in the garden in March /early April depending on how dry the soil is. Blessings to you and your family!
Hey y'all, So this year I went all in on onions 300 onions seeds. 4 varieties. Last year I followed the Old Alabama gardener methods and did very very well. so I am excited I started the seeds on Feb 7th as his video states so I should see sprouts any day now. I used the 200 cell trays so where ever one does not germinate I can put another seed of the right variety in its pace until we are 100% full on the 300 count. Wherever multiples show up I can try to move them see if that works. Thank you for the onion video esp all the great soil information God bless y'all bye for now
I used sets many years ago and had a pitiful harvest. Skipped them for many years but last year I got motivated to try from seed. What a great surprise. I had good germination rate, they separated easily and grew well everywhere I put them. I will never use sets again! I will be starting next week.
I was under the impression that using seeds I would have to wait for the second year to get a harvest. I am so grateful that you shared your knowledge, this is seriously the greatest timing for you to post this video!!! I needed to learn this and you made it easy to understand!
You’re close! Lol. Onion are biennial, so you have to wait for the second year for onion to go to seed, but they produce onion bulbs in their first year.
I need more trays. This is a good excuse to go buy some cinnamon rolls. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks for the kick in the tush, I needed it! Planted around 150 onion seeds in an inverted plastic angelfood cake ring after watching, high-five!
I actually learned something new today after watching this video. Now I know why my onion seeds did not germinate at all last year. It's because they were over a year old. Out of all the gardening channels and their videos I have watched so far, not one of them mentioned that. Thanks for that valuable information. Luckily I bought new seeds this year. ~ Laurie
We planted onion sets the past two years and the largest was approx 2 inches. Others who planted from seed got the very large onions. So I researched it and it seems that sets never give you large onions where as seeds do. Our onions when we harvested for the most part where similar in size to you’re little guy in the video. We cut them up and froze them in bags and have lasted great in the freezer with no loss of taste.
Put them,seeds under a grow light, set it on 16 hours and pot them with room so they can establish well. You can transplant later in season when your days are long works on all onions. I live in Virginia grew walla walla last year and they were harvested in late July, dried for three weeks and still are fine in the basement. When you pot them layer with potting mix then fertilizer in the lower level of pot. The light at sixteen hours sets the bulb early the bulb will not set-properly until the day reaches its maximum hours the light fakes that.
Fantastic, Thanks!!
I love the Red Wing. We are still working on ours from last year's garden (Now May 2022). We love Patterson for keeping too. The Candy variety actually keeps well for us.
The red candy onion are my favorites can't find seed , so in winter if I have some of the red candy onions are spoiling I put them in the garden in a row, all onions you can do this makes them the second year so you well have seed heads, so now I us my own onion seeds from now on free , 6 big flats all mine, especially the red candy onions they well not sell to us.
I just came across your Channel last night and I’m obsessed. To learn you’re in Washington and I’m in British Columbia right near the border makes me realize our climates are so similar and I CAN learn how to grow similar plants as you !! So happy I found your channel ❤️
I’ve been saving my plastic containers for this exact reason! And I haven’t seen anybody use them until now! So thank you! 💙💙💙
Hi Melissa! I stumbled across your channel this afternoon and must have watched 5 of your videos already. I learned so much and you explain everything so well! I have always avoided subscribing to any channels but I subscribed for yours today! :) Looking forward to what's next!
If it's about growing stuff... Melissa is my GO TO!!
The onion seeds I planted this year are about 4 years old, from Seedsavers Exchange, which are packaged in a foil envelope. This year the germination rate is about 90%, onion type is Ailsa Craig. I store them in the original packaging inside an airtight container.
That's great, that hasn't been typical in my experience.
I started Patterson last year here in zone 6a Ohio around mid-february. I planted them outside in May and at the time they were still tiny with no bulb formation yet. But, by mid-late summer, they grew to a nice size. Probably considered medium size by most cooking standards. So, I don't think all onion varieties need to be started super early, but it probably would help to grow them early if you're going for huge bulbs.
This year I started a 10x20 tray with 3 different seed sources for Walla Walla onions. the first was 2021 seeds from Burpee. The second was 2022 seeds from Burpee. The third were seeds I saved from my last years flowers. The 2021 seeds did not germinate. The 2022 seeds did germinate slowly but at about 50%. The saved seeds germinated first and were plentiful. So I agree get seeds from someone who saves there own.
Omgosh!! I was sad because I put "sow winter onions" on my calendar for weeks but didn't get around to it!
I sincerely thank you for this video.
How are your onions doing? I'd like to see a follow up video or picture.
I started 2 year old onion seeds the same way after watching your video I was surprised how many came up I just sprinkled them didn't bother putting them in rows cause they were so old. Only took a week to germinate! Then I started my new onions seeds in rows like you did and one popped up in 3 days!
Can't wait to see how yours are doing
Live in NorCal and am 70 years old. never grew a thing. this year I want to try grow bag stuff did not realize it was so much work! LOL... but fun tatoes and red lettuce carrots cherry maters onions (red) and yellow squash.... wish me luck eveyone I know is surprised I havent killed everything so far!
Perfect timing! This is the first year I got onion seeds!!! ❤️ ya sis, Kristy in Missouri zone 6b 😃🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I just started mine under grow lights. They're about 2 inches high now. I'm in 6b also mid Kentucky.
Great tips on starting seeds, very similar to how I start all my seeds…tomatoes, peppers, herbs. I have yet to master onions by seed but I continue to try.
WOW!! Love this!! I am a newbie gardener and don't know anything... so I appreciate you really giving information. I'd love to follow the growing process of what you do as the seed starting phase goes on. Please share everything. Love what you do.. Thank you!!
Glad to hear it was helpful!
Very nice tips. It took years before I realised the long and short hours.
I’m a Zone 7a in coastal Rhode Island. Red Wing do very well here and store several months. A great flavor as well.
I got a packet of the Newburg seeds, and I'm excited about them. I read an article where several OP varieties were tested for storage life, and they were the best. By the way, I noticed your December mouse calendar! We have one that we got long ago when I was a kid. We put candy in the pockets and moved the mouse to count down the days to Christmas. 😊
I've only learned to plant on top last season and I taught myself start bulb inside letting the top get up to 6 inches and roots will be longer enables me to bury roots and water in and next day all standing tall and grew every day having up to 3.5 inches and only fertilizer at planting,
Believe I'll improve with seeds and 2 feedings
Thanks I'm liking what you are teaching Lady
Did you punch holes in the containers for drainage?
Thanks Melissa! We just ordered some of the Newberg Onion seeds from Siskiyou Seeds. Maybe we will have some success with onions this year.
For me, nothing says "abject failure" quite so much as trying to grow onions. Trying again this year, though. Thanks for this!
Right?! I’m trying again this year too but dang. Glad I grew other things that were successful that year or I would have thought I couldn’t grow anything.
I do my onion seed starting a little differently but seems to aid in the germination process. Also over watering is an onion killer. Starve em a little , just keep em moist. i did a couple vids as well on it. Once you get it down youll never want to buy another onion in the store.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Melissa! I have that very same little onion in my kitchen right now. Last summer was so unusual for us here in northern MN as well. We are also really close to the Canadian border so we get the delicious long summer days.
I found out few days ago my germinated onion seeds that I was growing in paper egg cartons had white and green mold all over. I used new bags of potting soil and baked them before seeding, so I believe the mold was from the egg cartons. Now I have to restart and I will try using tint foil baking tray. This will be my first garden and excited to learn everything I could.
Sometimes mold also grows on top of the soil surface from not getting enough air flow. If the soil is moist and is kept covered or in still air, mold will grow. If that is what may have happened, try turning a low fan on in the room or find a way to allow air flow.
Live in the south I am getting my bunch delivered this week and getting them planted . Along with my radishes, and in my grow tunnel I will start my Romain lettuce but waiting till March 15th for my tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, honeydew, greenbeans, squash,zucchini, . Set up my large grow bags for my potato starts and a area for my asparagus I know it takes along time but that’s ok,
I picked up some really good information about growing tomatoes from seed that may be useful for onions, I haven't tried it on them and I've never tried onion seeds. I got the info from Donald over at the Bayou Gardener YT channel and his forum. Unfortunately Donald passed a few years ago. The channel is still up though not updated other than some of us dropping by to remember him. So back to the info. I plant my tomatoes, indoors, on a heat mat, with a grow light and a small variable speed fan. More on the fan in a sec. I don't use the light until the seeds come up. I can vary intensity two ways, distance from the plant and time. The heat mat is always on but the grow light and fan turn off and on with a timer. The idea of the timer is to mimic the diurnal changes in light. You can "fake" your zone by leaving it on for longer or shorter time periods. So what's the fan for? The fan simulates a slight breeze that causes kind of a rocking motion in the stem of the plant. That makes the plant reinforce the stem by making it thicker. When the plants are small the fan is set back from the plants and set to low. As they get taller and heavier I increase the "wind speed" but always looking for what I would expect to see in nature. I made some of the best tomato sets that I've ever used doing it this way.
The fan is fine but onions don't like heat (tomatoes are a warm weather crop) as they're a cool weather crop and aren't deep rooted like tomato plants. I wouldn't use a heat mat unless you're trying to start them in a room below 50 degrees F.
@@MelissaKNorris I forgot about that. Here in TX (Gulf Coast area) we don't get much cold (not counting last winter's drama). We start tomatoes in Nov / Dec. The seedlings are usually in the ground right about now but covered at night, just in case. I'm not home enough (work in NM) to be able to do any of that but I will be one of these days. I think onion seeds would be pretty happy started outside in Jan / Feb. My pecan trees let me know when winter is finished.
Thank you thank you thank you! Even though I live in a completely different Zone in Florida and I have to grow short date onions you have explained so many of the issues I have been having. I do have a question though. If promix is a sterile as I think you said, when do you start adding nutrition back into the soil. I went to the link for the soil from your video and it was not for any sterile mix. Most of the seed-starting mixes have peat moss in them which has the fungal gnat larvae in it the majority of the time. Even when I have bought seed starting mix I have gone ahead and sterilized it because I can't stand those gnats in my house. Anyway thank you so much for this UA-cam it is going to change my garden life
Hello from new Zealand 🇳🇿 I am starting my homestead journey. Thanks for the video!!
Always enjoy your teaching..I am in texas so I have to adapt to my grow zone
Just getting ready to start my onion seeds and found your channel! Look like we are in similar growing zones. Subscribed! Thanks for sharing!
Outstanding! Cheers from Ottawa, Canada 🇨🇦
I don't know why, but onions intimidate me! I may actually give them a try, your video encouraged me ☺️
Glad to hear! You got this!
Thank you for this, I started my onion seeds two weeks ago and I have very few that germinated. So today I will be starting more, I'm 12 weeks out from my last frost so I'm gonna be a little late but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. So sad my first sowing didn't pan out but it is what it is.
Good news, on a whim before throwing them out I brought them in out of my greenhouse with a grow light and they sprouted like crazy! They are now around 4 inches tall. I don't think all the seeds did but a good bit did. Lesson here do not ever give up if you think seeds are trash and won't germinate change their environment and give them a few more days!!
You don’t need to thin onions. You’ll be removing them from the soil and they come apart easily. So plant thick
I have never thought to use the lids during germination. What a great idea! I guess I won't just be cutting those lids off anymore when I use them for my seeds!
I reuse the same strawberry clamshell containers every year for starting sunflower seeds. They have holes and they seal tight.
The germination stage of gardening is a wonderful opportunity to do all kinds of your own field trials. Seeds are fairly cheap and germination time is relatively short so you can test all kinds of ways to germinate your seeds and compare which method works best for you. Over many years I've tested different kinds of germination mediums, heat mats (or no heat), lights or no light, etc.
What’s your thoughts on the best way to grow?
@@thetruehustler1365 The first thing I learned is that I don't have to obsess about which germination medium I use: coir, vermiculite, peat moss, potting soil or compost. I never noticed a significant difference. I use compost only for those plants that I do not intend to "pot up" (e.g. peas, beans, beets). If I don't have compost available, I'll use potting soil with perlite added (if I don't have perlite available, I'll use potting soil only). I haven't (yet) tested whether the addition of perlite actually is worth it. For now, it's just a habit, rather than a recommendation.
Heat mats: tend to help seeds germinate more quickly but not significantly so (maybe a difference of 3 or 4 days). I found no significant difference in germination rates with or without.
Humidity domes: Not a significant factor for germinating seeds and if you ensure that you keep your germination medium damp, you will have success without a dome. They are more a matter of convenience.
Lights or no lights: I've read where there are some plants that require no light for germination and others that require light. My admittedly limited testing shows there's no difference for the veggies I grow. So, why bother with lights at all or why make any extra effort to ensure darkness if it doesn't matter? I will admit that germinating under lights can save you if your seeds have caught you by surprise and germinated early. This happened to me once and my seedlings started out rather spindly and leggy. My habit is to watch them closely and put them under lights as soon as I notice any germination.
Here's another thing I do more out of convenience than a result of testing: When I sow seeds into cells filled with whatever germination medium I'm using, I will cover them with either a layer of vermiculite or finely sifted compost or potting soil. Then I spray the surface with water to dampen it. I suspect that doing this is more forgiving in terms of how deep I sow the seeds.
When to "pot up": At some time you'll have to move your seedlings from their sterile containers to a container that holds a fertile medium. The general advice is to do this as soon as your seedlings develop their first set of "true leaves". I've tested this advice and found it doesn't make much difference. You can remove your seedlings earlier or later and it doesn't make any difference.
Some things I don't do:
I never use garden soil. Too much risk of bringing unwanted pests and diseases inside.
I never make my own germination mix: Why bother if it doesn't show any real advantage over the many simpler alternatives?
I never use the paper towel/baggie method of germinating seeds. I tried it and while it is useful to determine the viability of older seeds, I find it a pain to transfer each of those tiny, germinated seeds into a pot.
Top watering: I either immerse my containers in water for a few minutes or use a sprayer to keep the soil moist. Top watering disturbs and displaces (especially tiny) seeds and their fine roots.
I'm hoping that you find my reply helpful. And, while I've given you a lot of detail as to how I do things, what I'm trying to convey is that there is no single, ultimate ways to germinate seeds. Do what is simple, cheap and convenient and it will probably work.
Cheers.
I will say, with only two of us at home, those little ones are perfect for us.
I started my onion seeds this week. I used grape containers I received from Sam's club.
I grow beautiful onions, i started my seeds this past October, and a second wave February 1st.
Try Red Mountain for a great long-storing red onion. I grew it for the first time last year and they are still, on Feb 15th, as firm and perfect as the day I harvested them. They are very sweet but quite pungent as well.
I store onion seeds in a ziplock bag (with desiccant pack) the refrigerator crisper drawer, I still get about 25% germination after 7 years.
This year I am going to try my hand at mixing my own germination soil using coconut coir, vermiculite, and peat moss. Have you ever bought onion plants instead of the bulb starts? I seem to have good success with those. Many small hardware stores or feed stores sell them.
I think coconut coir and peat moss both serve the same purpose. And peat moss almost always has eggs or pre larval stage of fungal gnats. If you're using the peat moss you might want to sterilize the soil you're making if you are bringing it into your house. I am using peat moss only for large containers that are going outside from now on to avoid this issue. I am tired of sterilizing the homemade seed starting mix. And from what I see most seed-starting mixes that are available commercially still need to be sterilized prior to indoor use
Patterson and Red Wing are two that I always plant. They both store well.
10,000 views in the first 12 hours! Impressive! I definitely need to know if I'd better get planting my onions this year already! Who knows how this crazy year will go in Oregon... we have had ZERO rain since Christmas... less than .001 tenth of an inch of rain in 2022. Ugh, what are we in store for this gardening season? We shall see. Thank you Melissa for your wisdom and info, fellow PNWesterner. :)
I keep planting onions twice a year(on my 3rd year now) but I keep putting off harvesting them eventually forgetting altogether. I have planted globo, ailsa craig, texas grano, italian red torpedo and walla walla. All from seed. I need to be a better gardener. Thanks for the video! - Zee, N. Cali zone10a
Thank you young lady.
So important to get local seeds!!!
Hi there. Do your containers have drainage holes in the bottom?
Had my best onions ever this year. after the y got up straight mulched them deep with hay.
Hi Melissa , did you put drainage holes in the bottom of your plastic container z?
Love your content! I live just down the road from you and was wondering where you get your promix. Having a hard time finding it this year.
I am trying winter sowing this year for the first time! Yay!
It will be too late now for me, but for the future, are onions successful grown by WS method?
I just picked up that same little mist sprayer in town earlier today. 👍
I started mine about 4 weeks ago after having horrible germination rates and having to start over several times last year. This year amazing germination rates and they are already ready for their first hair cut.
Where do you live? Can You share what varieties you used AND whose seeds they were from?
@@kimecollinss i live just north of Seattle. I bought yellow of Parma and yellow sweet Spanish from baker creek rare seeds. I bought my walla walla from Amazon.
Hello. Good video. Do you keep them in those same containers straight through planting? Sorry if you said you did or didn't, but I might have missed it.
Purchased Pansy seeds in January, the grandkids planted those pelleted Pansys 8n March , but after 4 weeks, no plants, then I replanted and still no plants after 3 weeks. Pelleted seeds seem to be a bust.
I’m a bit confused by when you plant your onions out Melissa. Most websites state to do it as soon as the soil is workable but you state to do it after the last frost. Which works better? I get abysmally small onions too every year and I find the little seedlings struggle with late frosts if planted out early.
I find mine do better when I plant them out after the last frost but am running some tests this year (different planting dates to see how final size is impacted)
@@MelissaKNorris Thanks Melissa.❤️. Keep us posted!
Looking forward to seeing how your onions grow! Great video-thanks!
Welcome!
Newbie here - I followed your video and now have around 2-3” tall seedlings! 😄
QUESTION: how often do you water them at this stage, and should I continue using the spray bottle to do so?
Once the top of the soil dries out I water, depending on heat in room/humidity and size of pot it can be daily or every other day
Thank you so much, I love that you’re sharing your knowledge 💕
Siskiyou seeds is down near me in Southern Oregon. I’ll have to check them out!
Relatively new to your channel. One question I got watching this. One. You mention getting seeds from your area or sets etc. What growing zone are you in ?
Johnny's had blush seeds this year. I have some growing in the cellar.
Does anyone know if i need to repot any other plants if using the pro mix seed starter mix?
So helpful thanks for sharing 🙏✨
ok newbie question- are you growing them this year until they are similar in size to store bought sets and then storing them indoors and replanting in spring & then you harvest them nice n big? Thank you! love your youtube channel learning so much!
120 degrees in the PNW? Wow. Thats shocking. We dont even get that hot here in TN.
It’s March 1st I’m a “long day” specific zone 6 in Connecticut is it too late to start onions
Did you poke drainage holes to your recycled containers?
Do you do any winter sowing in jugs set outside?
When buying seeds, it is nice to find a supplier that tells the general location where each variety is sourced from.
That way one can research the climate of that location to compare with one's local climate.
Also if you live in a long day climate can you plant any of the onions being that they would get the sufficient amount of sunlight needed( just extra sun for some varieties that are moderate and short day)? I hope that makes sense
Would love to know that answer to this question as well!
Can you do a video on transplanting seed starter. I always miss so many
Loss
The link you shared is to Fox Farm Happy Frog, not ProMix…is that correct? :)
I wonder how feasible it is for us to grow our own sets in late summer for the next year?
I live in Southern California a few of mine stay in the ground over winter. They die back and will grow next year but concentrate on producing seeds. Onions are biennial which means they produce seeds during the second year. We do not get hard freezes here but I would imagine if you do the bulbs would rot or die if you kept them in the ground.
@@ritagibson225 I over winter my bunching onions here in the pacific northwest. They survived the snow and several days of frozen temperatures. The smaller bulbs might have something to do with them surviving but no rot issues that I have noticed.
Hello, I bought onion seeds and want to eventually seeds save. I know that onoins are a biannual, so I know it wont flower until year 2.
I am confused on how you seed save onions.. If the onion doesn't flower, you don't get seeds, if I don't get seeds to plant for next year, I cant grow those onions again. I would have to buy new seeds, which means starting from year 1 again.
What step am i missing to be able to seed save biannual crops like onions?
thank you
For biennials you leave it in the ground over winter, the next spring it will start to grow a flower that becomes the seed.
Thank you for the video :) When do you plant them into the ground?
I have the regular promix potting mix, can I use that for seed starting? The bag doesn’t say seed starting on it
Yes, I use regular potting mix and it's always worked for me
@@MelissaKNorris great thanks
Once you put the onion seedlings under the grow lights, how many hours do you have the lights on? I am hearing roughly 9 hours only!
Artificial light needs to be 12 to 14 hours.
Great info
I live in Wisconsin and no matter what house I have lived in I cannot find that nice warm spot to start seeds or let bread rise. Anyone got a cheap way to make a small warm place for me to do this ?? Greatly Appreciated 💚💚
Great info! Question, can you replant those “pearl” onions? Will they grow larger?
You can replant and it will grow however it will concentrate its growth on making seeds. You can still use the bulb, but you can also save the seeds. Onions are biennial which means it’ll seed during the second year.
@@ritagibson225 thank you!!
Can u list the packets again that u are growing?
Like you, I've used pelleted seeds and found that there was very poor germination.
I had such a bad experience with pro mix that I will never buy it again. A third or more of the bag was filled with branches..some 8 inches long and more than an inch wide. For what was supposed to be premium soil. It was worse than cheap brands
I sub to a channel where among other things the guy shows meal prep & him sitting down to eat.
At EVERY meal, he will place a skinned big onion next to his plate. As he eats, he will pickup the
onion & take a big ol' bite like it was an apple. I know what onions on a sandwich does to my
breath, No wonder this guy lives alone.
!
120 Fahrenheit degree? Up north? Wow.
They are starting on our kitchen garden so that means they'll go after the seed producers.
Better start learning to make yourself your own seed.
If you store your seeds in the freezer they last much longer. I have 5 year old onion seeds that still have 80% germination.
Yes, when one is a busy mom/person, or you have a disability that makes movement slow, I agree re premixed soil.
Do you grow Vadalla onions in your area , do enjoy you video , enjoy !