One lot has germinated very well:
I sowed a "pinch" of seed (about 5 or 6) in each module, and they seem to have all come up.
This is the other tray:
One solitary seed, in one of the 15 modules has germinated (dare I say "...so far"?)
I suppose they may still appear, since it is only ten days since I sowed them, but I'm not very optimistic. The really annoying thing is that if I knew which variety was which, I could get a second batch sown before it's too late. I rather suspect that the No Shows are the Long Red Florence, because they were seeds from 2017, whereas the Ailsa Craig ones were from 2018. This would be a big shame, because I am very fond of the long red ones, which make a really great salad ingredient.
And all because of the absence of one of these...
Seriously, labels like this cost only pennies (mine were 50 for £1 in Wilkinson's) but they can save a lot of heartache. I know you may say "But they're plastic, and plastic is bad", but my response is that plastic labels are very durable and can be made to last for many years. I clean mine with White Spirit and an old Brillo pad, and reuse them several times, so I consider their use to be justified.
Well since you are 'very fond' of the long red ones, sow them again! If you have two batches of the same onion, I am sure you can find space for them if you really enjoy eating them. And sowing a second batch 10 days later will extend your harvest time.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
PS. We like long green onions, so they are the only ones I grow myself.
Reusable plastic in the garden is not bad, as you say things can be reused, I have heavy duty seedtrays, just like yours in your photo's, which I have had for years and they will last for many more years. I do not have any of the inserts, mine broke and as they are thinner, I decided I could manage without them. I also keep huge plastic pots, all the others are taken back to the nursery where they were purchased from. It's all about common sense.
ReplyDeleteExactly right! Last year I bought a pack of those flimsy seed-tray lines (5 x 15 modules) for £3, but TBH they are a fiddle to work with and I don't plan on buying any more.
DeleteHello again!
ReplyDeleteI meant to tell you in my earlier comment that I am growing my onions in large plastic tubs bought cheaply at the dollar store. My husband drilled holes in the bottom for drainage, and they work well for veggies that don't need a lot of room to spread out. And they last from year to year if they are emptied and stored under shelter (a garden shed) when not in use.
Hi Lea; I have done much the same thing. One of our supermarkets always sells things they call "Florist's buckets" at 8 for 99p. They have no drainage holes, but a minute with an electric drill converts one of these to a decent flower-pot. I grow lots of my chillis in them.
DeleteRed onions always seem less reliable when we grow from sets so I’d bet on the no show ones being red. We cut up plastic milk bottles to make labels. When the plants go onto the plot we staple the labels onto pieces of wood which are then hammered into the ground.
ReplyDeleteSpend your money wisely on Magnum ice creams not plastic labels. The wooden sticks make great labels - just remember to wash well first otherwise the left over chocolate bits goes mouldy in propagator!
ReplyDeleteI have tried new wooden lolly-sticks in the past, and they also go mouldy pretty quickly.
DeleteLabels? Who needs labels? I'll remember what I've sown and planted where.......
ReplyDeleteWont those Long Red Florence onions have red stems Mark ? Everything that I have sown is germinating except the Cavolo Nero Kale .....something is wrong..I,ll have to buy another packet .
ReplyDeleteIt seems that when they are very small, all onion seedlings are green. I'll only be able to see the red appear much later on (if at all!)
DeleteChances are that the ones that came up are the Ailsa Craigs as onions are notorious for having a very short shelf life - around 1 year. Good thing to know which is which for sure, esp. when transplanting as Ailsa Craigs grow MUCH larger than regular onions. They are the only onion that I space a full 6" apart (vs. 3-4" for other varieties)
ReplyDeleteYes, Margaret, you're right. I grew some last year and they were lovely onions. I think a lot of people who do Growing For Showing choose this variety.
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