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  • From: "William H Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] growing onion sets
  • Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:42:39 -0600


Kim

It sounds like those are technically not sets, but plants that have been
grown to a certain stage, held in a state of active but suppressed growth,
then re-introduced to a new growing environment for continued growth. What
distinguishes sets is that they completely grow through their vegetative
cycle, initiate bulbing, and then go fully dormant. They are then fully
shifted physiologically into the reproductive cycle and have a flower stalk
prepared internally, though at a microscopic level. Once they begin active
growth in the spring, their purpose natural is to produce seeds. So their
energy goes into flowering and seed production.

I'd never heard of the technique your industry uses but you live in a very
different growing zone with different opportunities. Sounds like a good
strategy down there!

Bill
wshoemak AT illinois.edu

-----Original Message-----

Greetings,

This is interesting. I grow in Texas, about 125 miles from the Gulf and
none of this is familiar, other than the day length for the south.

Our onion sets make great full size bulbs, the size we get depends on
when we plant them. If I plant sets out in October or November, I get
huge onions from them. Since my customers are not fond of really big
onions, I keep my sets in my fridge until January/February, then plant
out. The only problems I ever have with bolting are occasionally the
white sweet onions will bolt, but never all of them. Harvest is the
beginning of June.

Our sets are green, and very much alive. The sets look like onions that
have been started, allowed to grow to 1/4 inch diameter at the biggest.
The tops are cut off with a couple of inches of green, then bundled and
sold. When I asked, I was told they were started in a climate
controlled greenhouse mid summer.

Bright Blessings,
Kim

William H Shoemaker wrote:
> We have one of the oldest onion set industries in the country in northern
> Illinois, near Kankakee. Over time I've learned how they do it. Kind of
> strange but it makes sense once you understand how they do it.
>
> First, you are trying to create very small bulbs. The smaller, the better.
> Let me explain. When you buy onion sets, you often see most of them are
> about 1/2" in diameter. Those are best used as green onions because they
are
> big enough to bolt. So plant them very close together and plan on
harvesting
> them early as your first green onions (scallions). Those that are 1/4" or
> smaller in diameter will be much less likely to bolt and will grow into
> small, early dry bulbs. They're less physiologically advanced! They won't
> get to be huge, so don't count on them for that. Instead, use them for
early
> bulbs, even bunched green bulbs. They're very good for that purpose. So
> onion sets have a much different Best Use than onion plants.
>
> Remember, onions are biennials. They want to flower after overwintering.
So
> large onion sets will always flower. You can break off the flower stems,
but
> don't count on big bulbs. Small onion sets can bulb reliably but will not
> make really big bulbs, certainly not like direct-seeded onions or onion
> plants. Each approach is valid, but has a different purpose in the end.
And
> like Shawnee Flowerfarmer said, they are daylight sensitive, so make sure
> you pick the right variety for your area of the country. In the north you
> want varieties that are long daylength (short nights. They will begin to
> bulb when nights get short). In the north, that's in June (so plant
early!).
> If you are growing in the south, plant short daylength varieties (Granex
> types are an example). They will begin to bulb during longer nights,
earlier
> in the Spring. But you will plant much earlier in the year so the plants
can
> get well-established and grow big shoots to feed the bulbs as they grow.
>
> Okay, back to growing sets (which CAN be used to grow seed). To grow the
> sets the year before growing them out for seed, plant seed early in the
> season (April Fool's Day in Chicago. No kidding, No coincidence). Plant
them
> in shallow furrows REALLY THICK. I mean 12-24 seeds per inch of furrow.
The
> reason is you are essentially letting them get started, but not letting
them
> thrive. Grow them out very thickly and they will stay very small. They
will
> eventually form small bulbs because they will grow normally but under
> intense competition. As hot-dry days occur in July and August, they will
go
> into dormancy. Dislodge them from their roots after tops dry down. You can
> just use your hand to shove them aside and they will dry down nicely in
> place. Put them in trays and put them somewhere they can finish drying. Be
> sure to pick up the smallest ones. They will grow into nice onions next
> Spring. Remove debris and excess dirt.
>
> Once they've dried down, they can be cleaned up by brushing off the loose
> layers of skin and bagging them in something well-aerated. Netted bags or
> nylon hose works fine. Store them somewhere very cool (35F) and dry till
> planting time next Spring. Separate them for their distinct uses and plant
> accordingly.
>
> That's the kernel of the idea behind growing onion sets. There's more to
be
> said but not enough time/space here. But this should give you the basics
and
> enough for success.
>
> One other pointer. If you have a variety you really like and want to make
> lots of sets, look at bulk onion seed prices. It's amazing how much
cheaper
> they are per unit when you buy in bulk. If you can buy with others and buy
> bigger quantities, you can save money.
>
> Bill
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Bobbett
> Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:40 PM
> To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] growing onion sets
>
> Road's End Farm wrote:
>
>
>> On Feb 22, 2010, at 2:26 PM, Bobbett wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Normally I grow my own plants, and this year I'm making a diligent
>>> effort to save my own seed (I did it last yr, but the seed was mixed;
>>> this year I aim to keep it separated and not cross pollinated).
>>>
>> How many plants did you save seed from?
>>
>
> 8-10; btw, I'm NOT having any problems with the seeds. It's just an
> experiment w/ some of the onions I found growing in my root cellar that
> I had stored over winter.
>
> I'm interested in saving my own seeds year after year and not relying on
> stores.
> So, can u or anyone tell me how to grow sets? When the seeds should be
> planted for sets. When I do I dig up the small onions? How do I store
> them over winter?, etc.
>
>
>> I use new onion seed every year if possible; but if something arrives
>> late, I've found that very often the previous year's onion seed will
>> give me enough starts if I seed it a little heavily.
>>
>
> Yes, I've done that too, but my aim is to save my own seed and save
> plenty of it so I have it fresh each year and don't have to rely on
> store bought or old seeds.
>
>
>> You're further south than I am, but I think with onions the solstice
>> is more crucial, and that's not going to vary: this is the week I
>> usually seed my onions, and I've gotten a nice crop from seed not
>> started till the first couple days of March. So you may not be too
>> late to start them yet.
>>
>
> Well, I normally seed my onions indoors in mid-January (which I've
> already done). I have about 250 plants that will go outside around the
> time I direct-seed my peas. I've never had any problems getting
> good-sized onions in mid-summer from this routine.
>
> What I was interested in knowing is if there is a particularly good
> method for storing 1yo onion seeds to keep them fresh as possible. And
> if not, how do I use those seeds to make sets to bare/bear (?) me more
> seeds next year to use the following year.
>
> Bobbett, KY/zone 6
>
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