Hello,

I would like to grow onions next spring. I have tried to read about
this on the internet but I am getting conflicting information.

Some web sites say that onions do not require much soil and that you
can plant in containers and grow bags. Other web sites disagree. What
soil depth do you need? My instinct is that a container would be ok
but a grow bag might be too shallow.

Red Baron seems a popular recommendation but what does it taste like?
I've seen one web site call it strong and another says it is sweet!

There are other Red X varieties. Are they all derived from Red Baron?
Is there much difference between varieties? I see there is Red Cross,
Red Arrow, Red Ray, and Red Fen. Are they all much the same? Is it a
case of different catalogues selling different names to look
exclusive?

Thanks,
Stephen.

"Stephen" wrote
I would like to grow onions next spring. I have tried to read about
this on the internet but I am getting conflicting information.

Some web sites say that onions do not require much soil and that you
can plant in containers and grow bags. Other web sites disagree. What
soil depth do you need? My instinct is that a container would be ok
but a grow bag might be too shallow.

Red Baron seems a popular recommendation but what does it taste like?
I've seen one web site call it strong and another says it is sweet!

There are other Red X varieties. Are they all derived from Red Baron?
Is there much difference between varieties? I see there is Red Cross,
Red Arrow, Red Ray, and Red Fen. Are they all much the same? Is it a
case of different catalogues selling different names to look
exclusive?


It is true that they don't need a huge depth of soil, they do need sun and
hate being overshadowed by anything, especially weeds. IME red onions are
very prone to bolting (flowering) so we always lose a few to that problem.
Do remember that in a container you have to supply water and food to the
plants on a regular basis.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 21/10/2015 18:29, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Stephen" wrote
I would like to grow onions next spring. I have tried to read about
this on the internet but I am getting conflicting information.

Some web sites say that onions do not require much soil and that you
can plant in containers and grow bags. Other web sites disagree. What
soil depth do you need? My instinct is that a container would be ok
but a grow bag might be too shallow.

Red Baron seems a popular recommendation but what does it taste like?
I've seen one web site call it strong and another says it is sweet!

There are other Red X varieties. Are they all derived from Red Baron?
Is there much difference between varieties? I see there is Red Cross,
Red Arrow, Red Ray, and Red Fen. Are they all much the same? Is it a
case of different catalogues selling different names to look
exclusive?


It is true that they don't need a huge depth of soil, they do need sun
and hate being overshadowed by anything, especially weeds. IME red
onions are very prone to bolting (flowering) so we always lose a few to
that problem. Do remember that in a container you have to supply water
and food to the plants on a regular basis.


Off topic a little,
I bought some red onions a couple of weeks ago and when peeling and
chopping the first one I found my eyes watering.
That's when it dawned on me that with the ordinary onions you don't get
your eyes watering like they used to.
David @ a damp side of Swansea bay where we have been having Light rain
for most of the last 24 hours.

On 22/10/2015 6:31 AM, David Hill wrote:

Off topic a little,
I bought some red onions a couple of weeks ago and when peeling and
chopping the first one I found my eyes watering.
That's when it dawned on me that with the ordinary onions you don't get
your eyes watering like they used to.

By gum, you're right! I wonder why that would be?

"David Hill" wrote...

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Stephen" wrote
I would like to grow onions next spring. I have tried to read about
this on the internet but I am getting conflicting information.

Some web sites say that onions do not require much soil and that you
can plant in containers and grow bags. Other web sites disagree. What
soil depth do you need? My instinct is that a container would be ok
but a grow bag might be too shallow.

Red Baron seems a popular recommendation but what does it taste like?
I've seen one web site call it strong and another says it is sweet!

There are other Red X varieties. Are they all derived from Red Baron?
Is there much difference between varieties? I see there is Red Cross,
Red Arrow, Red Ray, and Red Fen. Are they all much the same? Is it a
case of different catalogues selling different names to look
exclusive?


It is true that they don't need a huge depth of soil, they do need sun
and hate being overshadowed by anything, especially weeds. IME red
onions are very prone to bolting (flowering) so we always lose a few to
that problem. Do remember that in a container you have to supply water
and food to the plants on a regular basis.


Off topic a little,
I bought some red onions a couple of weeks ago and when peeling and
chopping the first one I found my eyes watering.
That's when it dawned on me that with the ordinary onions you don't get
your eyes watering like they used to.
David @ a damp side of Swansea bay where we have been having Light rain for
most of the last 24 hours.

Not the case if you grow your own I can assure you. Got to be the way they
are grown commercially.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
Off topic a little,
I bought some red onions a couple of weeks ago and when peeling and
chopping the first one I found my eyes watering.
That's when it dawned on me that with the ordinary onions you don't get
your eyes watering like they used to.
David @ a damp side of Swansea bay where we have been having Light rain
for most of the last 24 hours.

I think it might be the way they are stored by the supermarkets.

I get onions from a farm shop and they take your breath away when you cut
them open.

When my dad used to grow onions when we were all little, we'd have garden
fresh salads regularly (toms, lettuce cucumber, onions, celery, radishes
etc, all picked, washed and chopped within 20 minutes of teatime!) and the
onions on the plate were still 'bleeding', white milky sap, you didn't need
much of that on a cheese butty to know about it.

Most supermarket ones today can be eaten like apples, they're more sweet
than hot