Hey Phil, you say you have onion seed started. When ? I was thinking I would wait a bit yet, maybe the 8th. to the 15th.Do you think I should do it now ? And what do you think about bottom heat ?? I have had problems in the past with damping off with onions. I am anxious to get something started but.....mike
Mike, it's best to have 10 - 12 weeks start before set out time...
Our latitude calls for long day varieties..
I'm sure you know that...and they start forming bulbs when the daylight hours reach about 14 hours..so the earlier you can sit them out... the better
and even though we started them..we started them 6 days later than we normally do
Last year, I trimmed them a few times..had to wait for the darn weather...and we had over a thousand Big ol onions in August!!
I start them and when they get about 6 inches high, I trim them with scissors..to about 4 inches...
This makes them strong and stocky..and much easier to plant out.
as for bottom heat, We use it at first to get them up & growing...after they are up..we take them off the mats....
Damping off...
Mike, we start about 1800 bedding plants...and about 1200 onions in the basement every year..
We had some damping off the first year..since then
We sprinkle plain old Cinnamon on the soil around the plants.
someone said once: "That sounds like a lot of work"
I asked: How many plants you have??
they replied: 2 flats.....
oh, we treat aprox. 25 flats
..
Don't fret the cinnamon..it Won't hurt your plants...but eliminates damping off disease..
A good SMALL fan to keep the air moving is also "A good Thing" both work well together..an ounce of prevention I always say...
Now, A much worse culprit dtb dtb
SOIL..Mile last year we purchased some great organic soil..
and
It was FULL of FUNGUS GNAT LARVAE!!!
You notice a few flying around..Don't wait..
don't think that it's just your compost bucket needing emptied..(learned the hard way)
They are feeding on the plants roots..just a fraction of an inch under the soil
Now some will say that drying out your soil will get rid of them..but they live in a zone..you DON'T want dry...
Oh LORDY...What To Do
Yellow Sticky traps/fly paper...minimal effect..but ya catch a few adults.(while their babies devour your plants)
But, the solution is Very Simple..and CHEAP!!
let the top of the soil dry...
mix one part hydrogen peroxide (plain old 3% brown bottle peroxide)
with four parts water.
water your plants with this as you normally would,,,
The fungus gnat larvae will die on contact with the hydrogen peroxide..
but the solution will not hurt your plants so long as it is mixed correctly.
It will fizz a bit, but will break down into nothing more than oxygen and water which the plant will love.
adding a sticky trap does though give ya a second layer of protection..and a chance to scold them
..
.. well..Ya ask me a question whilst I'm waking up and I go On and On..
Short answer:..Go Mike Go..You won't sacrifice anything if you wait except maybe a smaller onion..but..what You gain is..
Something
GREEN to look at...assuming yer Tired of
WHITE
..
