Planting Onion and Shallot Seedlings Outside, Early. 3.5.2021

 It might be too early, but I planted some of the onion and shallot seedlings outside in the raised bed.  Given the gentle weather, overcast sky and predicted rain, I did not try to acclimate them to outdoors first.  This cleared some space on the seedling stand for additional plantings.  

The NY Early onion seedlings look fairly sturdy.  The shallot seedlings appear more delicate.  It might be early, but since winter onions and onion sets are starting to grow, I think these will be OK too.

I overdid the garlic and onions.  I need to decide on space for the other seedlings.  The other raised bed is reserved for peppers and pickle cucumbers.

Pepper and Onion Seedlings. 2.31.19

 These are some of  the pepper and onion plants that I started from seeds in January.  Doing quite well under LED lights.

Starting Peppers and Onions under LEDs. Update 2.9.19

Here are the pepper and onion seedlings under LEDs. I bought an additional unit.  I think this one was 35 Watts.  I did not realize it would give, in addition to the blue and red lights, some yellow and white.  That's fine, and from what I read, better.  I also have aluminum foil sheets that I hang on side and ends of the plant rack to reflect more light onto the plants.  So far Im very happy with how the plants are doing.

The bottom photo shows my old CFL light.  I got it out for getanium cuttings that I started from last fall's plants, and a couple of orchids.  Those geraniums are growing fast under this light.

Starting The First Seeds. 1.10.18

 Today is officially the first day of this year's garden season.  The reason - I began the first seed starting.

Onion seeds can be started very early.  I want them to be at least  inches tall before setting out, and I have set out onion plants in March or April.

Peppers grow slowly for me.  I wanted to start the most tropical, slowest growers, now.  So that's the Thai and Tabasco.  I'm curious to see whether those "Low Germ" Thai peppers will germinate.  If not, the backup plab is to buy a packet or plants, if too late for seeds.

This year, I used the little six-packs, and commercial peat and perlite based seed starting medium.

These 6-packs are in plastic bags to retain moisture and warmth.  They are on a seed starting mat with pre-set temperature I think in the low 80s.

Kitchen Garden. Summer Harvest Begins. 7.13.17

 I've been harvesting collar greens for a couple of weeks.  Nicest plants that I have grown. 

Started digging potatoes last week.  Had some hash browns and likely potato salad tomorrow.  Red Norland and Yukon Gold plants are turning brown, and getting some nice potatoes.

Some of the slicer onions are bending over.  I've dug some of those for use fairly quickly.  Tasty in all colors, red, white, yellow.

The absolute largest of the onions are the Ailsa Craig, that I started from seeds.  Those are huge, but not falling over yet.

 Based on my results this year, planting as early as possible is giving the largest onions, but even the later ones are sizing up.  Just not as huge.  Seedlings started indoors are as big or bigger than those started from sets or plants bought at the nursery.

Nice time of year in the kitchen garden.

Kitchen Garden. Planting Onions Outdoors. 3.8.17

This is a progress report and the start of a garden experiment at the same time.  As for the progress report, the onion seeds that I planted earlier have had mixed success.  A few days ago I set out the first batch of Ailsa Craig.  The white globe and red globe seedlings had poor germination and died quickly, leaving few survivors.   The Patterson hybrids for long term keeping actually had good germination and are looking good, but I think they are not yet sturdy enough for outdoor life.

I wasn't confident about the seedlings that I started, and the sets looked crummy, so when I was at a nursery this week, I bought a bundle of plants.  They were cheap, it won't break the bank.  However, I did not initially want to go that route.

Here is the experiment.  In the same garden bed, I have a row of sets, a row of plants that I grew from seeds, and 2 rows of plants that were bought as plants.  It's not a real science experiment because they are not the same variety, but then I'm not going to publish in a science journal anyway.

As the other seedlings start to look better, I'll plant them in the outside bed too.  We eat about one onion daily, and some are sold as long-keepers, so maybe there will be enough for a 9 month supply.  Maybe not.

Planting Potatoes and Onions. 3.1.17

First Potatoes Planted.  3.1.17

 The first batch of potato starts looked like they are sprouted enough to plant, so here they are.  I'm growing them in the ground the conventional way, and will hill up soil around the plants as they grow.  It's a bit wet outside.  Soil temp is 50F.

I also planted the first of my home-started onion seedlings.  The most sturdy were Ailsa Craig.  Germination was not great,  but there will be enough to see how they do.

The onion sets that I bought were in a plastic package.  I was unable

Ailsa Craig Onion Seedlings.  3.1.17

 to see inside the package until I opened it.  Many were already sprouted.  I prefer that they not be so far along before planting, but here they are.

Store-bought Onion Sets.  3.1.17

So the first of the onions are planted.   Meanwhile, the mesculn and arugula have germinated in their raised beds, the Chinese chives are growing nicely after I divided and replanted them, and ditto for the batch of Egyptian Walking Onions that I divided and replanted for early scallions. The garden is moving along nicely.

Early Growth of Divided Egyptian Walking Onions.  3.1.17

Early Growth of Chinese Chives.  3.1.17

Arugula Seedlings.  3.1.17

Onion seedlings. 2.15.17

Onion Seedlings.  2.15..17

So far, so good.  Some of the seedlings succumbed to damping off.  The hybrid "Patterson" and the old historic "Ailsa Craig" seem to be the toughest.  Still a few weeks to go before planting in the kitchen garden.

Onion Seedlings. 1.27.17

Onion Seedlings.  1.27.17

The onion seedlings are looking pretty good.  At first I thought germination was not adequate, but they appear to have filled in over the past 2 weeks.  These are on a seedling mat, and under fluorescent lights.

I am also testing some hot pepper seeds, obtained from a package of dried peppers at the Chinese grocery store.  Those are very hot peppers, variety unknown but of the Thai type.

Seed Order. 1.14.16

The seed order from Territorial Seed Co. came today.  Makes me anxious to dig.  The foot of snow and temps in the teens, makes that a bid difficult.  I can, and did, plant the Patterson storage onion seeds indoors, same method as for others.  I've been saving milk cartons, cut to about 5 inches deep and drilled drainage holes.

The first of the Ailsa Craig seeds, planted 1/7/16, germinated.  So that's one week for the fastest among them.

Starting Onion Seeds. 1.7.17

I decided to grow onions from seeds this year.  After reading a number of web pages and viewing some videos, now looks like a good time.  They can be started Jan, Feb, March.  The seedlings can very crowded in the container, 25 or more per container.  Some garden writers state more than that.

Unfortunately, my seeds from Territorial Seeds did not come yet.  I have some Ailsa Craig seeds from Baker Creek for summer onions, and bought some Red Globe and Ringmaster White Globe for storage. I hope the Territorial Seeds come soon, since those are the long keepers.

I planted roughly a seed per every 1/4 inch although didn't measure.  These are in cottage cheese containers with holes drilled through the bottom, and filled with moist seed starting soil.