ONIONS ON TRIAL
Vegetable trials veteran Colin Randel reports on the latest trial of onions from seed, held at RHS Wisley Gardens in Surrey and reveals the top performers for your plot
This was the first AGM (Award of Garden Merit) trial since 2005 of bulb onions from seed only. Planting from sets still remains the most popular method of growing onions for gardeners as they are much easier to handle and can be planted at any time between late February and mid-April. However growing from seeds can give great results and is an economical way of producing a crop.
There were 30 cultivars in this 2019 trial: 17 brown-skinned, eight red, four pink/rose and just one white. The trial was replicated at RHS Rosemoor in Devon.
SOWING AND GROWING
The trial bed was prepared before sowing by adding potassium nitrate at the rate of 35g/m2 and the seeds were sown direct into the bed on March 26. The seedlings were subsequently thinned to 10cm (4in) apart on May 23. The plants were fed three times in June using a liquid fertiliser rich in nitrogen and potash.