Onions Planted - Inside

Happy Days, the garden is in! Not really, but my onions are planted.

Fill the cells, tap down, fill to top and seed, sprinkle lightly to cover

This will give me twelve weeks before setting them out the first week of May. Onions, peas, and potatoes can go in pretty early but my experience is that if they are in too soon, nothing happens. Most garden experts say to plant these three and often radishes are added to the list, as soon as the ground can be worked. Don’t hurry, as soon as the soil can be worked is too early here. Give it another week. I have even resorted to covering the area I want to plant first with painters clear plastic drop cloths in an attempt to warm the soil. Not sure it worked but it kept me out of trouble for an hour or so.

 

I mark the day I planted, these are Walla-Walla, on the seed packet.
Then put it back with my full ones, where I will be able to actually find it. 

Onion sets do well in a 72 cell starter like the ones I use, and they are less than five bucks. For onions, I do not use the soil listed as seed starting soil. I use a good mix of potting soil instead. I use it because it seems to hold up better for the three months onions are growing. And for those wondering, yes I will buy and use some onion plants or sets also, but only special varieties.

 

Water the soil, before planting, sprinkle before covering - don't overwater at this stage be careful

Not everyone understands the difference between sets and plants. Sets are small, dry onion bulbs that have been grown the previous year. They are the easiest for gardeners to grow and you can buy early and store for several weeks.  Plants are what I am producing by planting seeds early, they are young onion plants produced from seed in the year they are sold. The advantage of seeds is one, variety. 

Set in a warm window and wait for them to come up - might take two weeks
After they are up I move them outside into the sunshine when temps permit

With seeds, you know what you are getting. Often, especially in the big boxstores, onion plants and sets are sold as simply, yellow, red or white. I like to know more than that. 

Meanwhile - that's my garden space behind the fence - not yet!