Declaring All Onions, Leeks and Shallots a Failure

All alliums have been afflicted with damping off disease.  They are limp and very shallow rooted.  I've chosen to declare them a failure and will throw away the containers including the potting mix.  This is the first incident of damping off disease I have experienced in over five years of growing seedlings under lights.

Sad day, indeed.  I was looking foward to the wide variety of red, white and yellow onions and the gourmet shallots.  Oh well, next year!

UPDATE on Tuesday, April 14:  I decided to save the Walla Walla Onions, leeks and one other onion (can't remember what variety right now - will check in the morning).  They actually looked better after spending the last few nights outside and receiving rain water this morning.  I hope I didn't jump the gun with the other alliums.

Organizing Seedlings

Recent purchases of two Miracle Grow products, a seed starting mix and moisture control potting soil, have been disappointing.  I tried combining the two and it made a very heavy, supersaturated mix.  Regretably, I used it the past few days to transplant seedlings and noticed today that many seedlings have been afflicted with "damping off" disease.  I quickly disposed of those seedlings and will let those containers dry out completely before watering again.

I am hoping to move some seedlings to the hoophouse soon. As you can see, all four location in my house are filled to capacity.  

Admittedly, I sowed a crazy amount of flower seeds this year. Of course, there will be some loss of plants during the hardening off period. I expect to have loads of fun planting such a wide variety of perennials and annuals. I will sow the rest of the fast-growing annuals, such as nasturtiums, zinnias and marigolds, in the hoophouse toward the end of April. 

My onions are not doing as well as last year's onions.  I can't decide if I am watering them too much or too little.  My guess is too much since the roots of the limp onions are very shallow.  I will also hold off watering them again until they are good and dry. I gave them another haircut today.  

See how few remain in the Rossa di Milano container. 

Fortunately, the rest do not look as bad. 

Time to Evaluate

Today was a day of evaluation, that is, to examine the status of my indoor seedlings.  In two weeks I'll be very busy starting the majority of my warm weather crops.  I must check if any of the cool weather vegetables, herbs and flowers should be started again.  I need to evaluate if some seedlings look weak or perhaps were started too early, or maybe I forgot to plant some seeds. In any case, now is the time to "fill in" where need be because these seedlings will take a back seat to the needs of warm weather crops beginning March 31.

My evaluation is as follows:

• Intend to plant another small container of green onions to use in and amongst the vegetables, i.e., tomatoes. 
• Will plant annual alyssums, purple and white.  The seeds of the perennial alyssums, Basket of Gold, may not be viable. 
• Check if there are more coreopsis seeds in my stash.  The ones planted may not be viable. 
• Still want to plant collards, chard, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage as cool weather crops. Maybe another round of broccoli and kale.  I will dedicate two raised beds to these brassicas with the intention of covering them with Agribon 19 as soon as they are transplanted. 
• Look through the inventory of Livingston seeds for additional flowers to be sowed eight weeks before last frost. 
• Need to research asparagus seedlings.  Becoming tall and lanky. Should they be cut back, potted up, split into separate pots, buried?  

I need to decide which pepper varieties to grow this year:

• I have plenty of dried and crushed pepper flakes so will probably not grow thai and cayenne peppers. 
• Although I have two gallon bags remaining of jalapeno peppers, I will still grow a dozen plants for fresh harvest.  
• I am still amazed at how fresh my diced red, orange and yellow frozen sweet peppers are coming out of the freezer.  I intend to grow at least six plants of each color.  
• The mini sweet red, orange and yellow peppers were excellent last year.  I've saved seed from last year's harvest; the seeds were originally taken from organic peppers purchased at Wegman's. It will be interesting to see what the peppers look like this year. 

Postscript #1 - Lemongrass (sowed March 13, 6 days) germinated.
Postscript #2 - The onions, shallots and leeks received their second "haircut."

The Humble Red Onion

I love red onions!  How could you not! The vibrant color (Is it purple? Is it red?) is really quite beautiful. Red onions have the reputation of being sweeter than white onions, but that is not necessarily my experience. Some of my white onions are pretty sweet in their own right. Nothing beats raw red onions though on top of a burger, fresh salad, tacos or any other Mexican dish for that matter. I often substitute them for yellow cooking onions but find that their color becomes washed out when heated.

Five red onion varieties, always interesting to see what grows best in my garden. 

Today I planted five different red onion varieties: two were grown last year and three are new to me. They are listed below by storage longevity, the most favorable at the top:

Red Onion (Rossa di Milano, Allium cepa): Fedco Seeds, 2015. Planted one 4"x8" container 1/4"-1/2" deep. Expected germination time: 10-17 days. Days to maturity, 114. Characteristics: heirloom, open-pollinated, biennial, full sun, intermediate to long day type, shaped like a buttercup squash, flat square-shouldered top tapering to a narrower flat bottom. You may snip seedlings back by half (from 6" to 3") two or three times before transplanting outdoors. Push down tops if stubborn to fall over in the fall. Excellent for storage, although may take a while to dry, should keep until following spring.
See: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search?item=2490&listname=Onion&cookies=no

Red Onion (Red Bull, Allium cepa): Fedco Seeds, 2015. Planted one 4"x8" container 1/4"-1/2" deep. Expected germination time: 10-17 days. Days to maturity, 118. Characteristics:
F-1 hybrid, biennial, full sun, long day type, ultra-hard large red globes, sweet and mild type, shinier and darker than Rossa di Milano, red throughout. Cut seedlings back by half two or three times (from 6" to 3") before transplanting outdoors. Very good for storage, should keep until following spring.

See: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6799-red-bull.aspx

Red Onion (Red Amposta, Allium cepa): Botanical Interests, 2015. Planted two 4"x8" containers 1/4" deep, one set of seeds from 2013 and the other from 2015. Expected germination time: 10-15 days. Days to maturity, 115. Characteristics: heirloom, open-pollinated, bienniel, full sun, intermediate day type (did fine last year in Zone 6a), large reddish-purple globe shaped (3-4"), red and white rings, sweet, likely originated in central Asia or Middle East. Cut seedlings back by half two or three times (from 6" to 3") before transplanting outdoors. Knock over the rest of the onion tops when half have already done so. Dry in sun for a few days, remove the roots and greens, leave 1" of the neck to seal.  Stores well.

See: https://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/view/0202/Onion-Red-Amposta-Seeds

Red Onion  (Wethersfield, Allium cepa): Livingston Seed, 2014.  Planted one 4"x8" container 1/4" deep. Expected germination time: 4-10 days. Days to maturity, 100. Characteristics: heirloom, open-pollinated, biennial, aka Dark Red Beauty, dates back to 1852 from Wethersfield, CT, full sun, long day type, large flattened globe with purple-red skin, mildly pungent with red concentric rings. Cut seedlings back by half two or three times (from 6" to 3") before transplanting outdoors. Fair storage.
See: http://www.smartgardener.com/plants/1556-onion-wethersfield-red/overview

Red Onion (Red Tropeana Lunga, Allium cepa): MI Gardener, 2015. Planted one 4"x8" container 1/4" deep. Expected germination time: 10-17 days. Days to maturity, 100-110. Characteristics: heirloom, open-pollinated, biennial, full sun, long to intermediate day, red torpedo bulbs, Mediterranean origin, comes from Tropea region of Italy, pungent with a balance of sweet, likes cool night temperatures. Cut seedlings back by half two or three times (from 6" to 3") before transplanting outdoors. Not good for storage.
See: http://seedsforgenerations.com/product/onion-tropeana-lunga/

I also decided to sow a few seeds appropriate to Week 12:

Leeks (American Flag, Allium ampeloprasum): Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted pelletized seeds in one 4"x8" container 1/4" deep. Expected germination time: 5-7 days. Days to maturity, 125-140. Characteristics: heirloom, open-pollinated, biennial, partial sun, sweeter and milder alternative to the onion, similar in appearance to large scallions.  Although the packet recommends 4" spacing between plants in the garden. I am more generous with the spacing at 6-8". Shanks should be 1" in diameter at time of harvest. They are cold tolerant and can be kept in the ground through light frosts.
See: https://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/view/0205/Leek-American-Flag-HEIRLOOM-Seeds

Asparagus (Mary Washington, Asparagus officinalis):  MI Gardener, 2015.  Planted seeds into six 4-packs, 4 seeds per cell. Expected germination time, 28 days, generally longer. Since germination is slow, it may be advisable to soak the seeds in warm water prior to sowing, up to 2 days. Days to maturity, 780. Characteristics: perennial, fern-like growth 4-5 feet tall, member of the lily family, long, crisp and sweet spears, pick at 5-8 inches long, considered delicacy by ancient Greeks, originated near the Mediterranean Sea, full sun, space 18" apart, plant at depth of 6-10". This variety is a very strong growing and productive strain and is rust-resistant. Do not harvest first and second years; third year you may harvest for two weeks and by the fourth year, you may harvest throughout the spring growing season. At end of season, prune back foliage when it turns brown. Mature bed can last for 20-30 years.
See: http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/asparagus/asparagus-mary-washington-prod000569.html

TIPS OF THE DAY!!  Don't over peel your red onions.  Most of the goodness, the flavonoids, are found in the outer layers. Flavonoids are thought to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes and assist memory function.  Not a shabby list of health benefits!

Also, don't store any bulb onion in the refrigerator but rather in a cool, well-ventilated container. I use old mesh bags and store them all winter long in my basement pantry.

How I Love My Onions!

Today marks the first seed sowing day for vegetables and the noble onion takes center stage.  Not too many days pass that I don't cook with onions and, in my opinion, you can never have enough!  Up until three years ago, I only planted onion sets purchased at hardware stores. They never amounted to much.  But now that I start onion seeds indoors under growlights, there is no looking back.  I carry forward the old, tried and true varieties, but each year I experiment with new ones, preferably long-day onions that store well.

I have one dozen onions left in storage, at best a few weeks supply.  My goal for this year is to grow a larger crop of storage onions to bridge us until the scallions are ready to harvest in early May.

Did you know that you can avoid tears when cutting an onion if you first place it in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Early scallions can hold us over until the bulbing onions are harvested.

What remains of our storage onions!!

Today I planted white onions, bunching onions and shallots:

Onions (Ailsa Craig, Allium cepa): Fedco Seeds, 2015.  Planted one 4"x8" container 1/2" deep. Expected germination time, 7 days.  Days to maturity, 110 days.  Characteristics: open-pollinated heirloom, also known as Exhibition, white large onions, slightly oval but mostly round, with pale, straw-colored skins, sweet, mildly pungent. They do not store well.  A cross between Danvers Yellow and Cranston's Excelsior. Set in bed 4-6" apart. Note: Ailsa Crag is an island off of Scotland.  Adapted to 38 degree latitude and north.
See: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search?item=2484&listname=Leek&cookies=no

Onions (Copra, Allium cepa): Fedco Seeds, 2015. Planted two 4"x8" containers 1/2" deep, 1 inch apart in one container and sprinkled in the other. Expected germination time, 7 days. Days to maturity, 104 days; 55 days after transplanted into ground. Characteristics: hybrid, medium-sized, long-day variety, excellent storage, full sun, space 6-8" apart in well-fed row/bed, 6-10" height, firm, yellow onions, high in sugar, moderate pungency.
See: http://www.gurneys.com/product/copra_hybrid_onion

Onions (Ringmaster, Allium cepa):  Botanical Interests, 2015.  Planted one 4"x8" container 1/4" deep.  Expected germination time, 10-15 days.  Days to maturity, 105 days.  Characteristics: heirloom, large, rounded bulbs with firm white rings, suitable for onion rings, delicious, mild onion flavor, stores four to five months, space seedlings every 4", improved variety of White Sweet Spanish, resistant to pink root disease.
See: http://www.territorialseed.com/product/Ringmaster-Onion-Plants/onion_and_leek_plants

Onions (Sweet Spanish Yellow Utah Jumbo, Allium cepa): Ferry-Morse, 2014. Planted one 4"x8" container, 1/2" deep.  Expected germination time: 10-12 days.  Days to maturity, 115-128 days.  Characteristics: open-pollinated, heirloom, long-day, full sun, mild flavored, white to pale yellow onion, medium to large size bulbs, good for slicing, fairly good for storage, grows 18" tall.
See: http://seeds.toddsseeds.com/wholesale-bulk-long-day-onion-yellow-sweet-spanish-utah-long-day-onion-seed-sold-by-the-pound/

Onions (Tokyo Long White Bunching, Allium fistulosum):  MI Gardener, 2015. Planted one 4"x8" container, about 80 seeds 1/4" deep, will thin container if overcrowding occurs. These seedlings will be used exclusively in the greenhouse as early green onions.  I will sow additional trays in March for use in the main garden to harvest throughout the summer and fall.  Will use many as companion plants for tomatoes. Expected germination time: 10-15 days. Days to maturity, 65-95 days, can be harvested any time during the season. Characteristics: biennial, heirloom Japanese bunching onion, long slim stalks (looks like a leek), 12-20" tall, may be planted in containers, requires only 6 hours of sunlight, white part of the stalk has a mild, sweet flavor, can tolerate light frost.
See: http://www.smartgardener.com/plants/1429-onion-tokyo-long-white-bunching/overview

Onions (Walla Walla, Allium cepa): Livingston Seeds, 2014.  Planted one 4"x8" container 1/2" deep.  Expected germination time, 5-10 days.  Days to maturity, 115 days.  Characteristics: medium to very large (4"), long-day, golden skinned onion with white flesh, crisp, sweet and juicy, pick early for mildest flavor, cold hardy.  Does not store well, short keeper.
See: http://www.gurneys.com/product/walla_walla_onion/onion-plants-and-sets

Shallots (Prisma Red, Allium cepa): Fedco Seeds, 2015.  Planted two 4"x8" containers 1/2" deep, 1" apart.  Expected germination time, 7 days.  Days to maturity, 100 days from date of transplanting. Characteristics: F-1 hybrid, long-day, strong onion flavor, gourmet crop, red-purple with high gloss finish and angular edges, flattened round shape, excellent storage shallot (until following spring).  Each shallot should produce 2-5 bulbs if given plenty of room.  My shallots did not produce clusters in 2014 -- hoping for better results this year. This is the last year that Fedco will be carrying these seeds -- Remember to harvest seeds in the fall or use a different supplier.
See: http://fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search.php?cookies=no&listname=Onion&item=2441&index=5

TIP OF THE DAY!!  If you find that your seed starting mix contains large pieces of bark, perlite, etc, try using an old plastic strainer as a sieve.  The final product is wonderfully light to top off your seeds!

The insert of an old salad spinner.