|
Post by meandtk on Oct 3, 2014 12:08:10 GMT -5
I have some Stuttgart onion bulbs. I am about 35 miles north of the MS Gulf Coast, in Zone 8. When is my best time to plant these? Should I do so now, or wait until early spring? I know next to nothing about onions. Thanks in advance.
|
|
billh
Pro Member
Posts: 231
Zone:: 6a
Joined: December 2011
|
Post by billh on Oct 6, 2014 5:46:40 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 6, 2014 9:57:02 GMT -5
The Dixondale site billh linked to is a great reference - they even have suggested planting dates by zip code.
I hate to be a downer, but if your "Stuttgart" onions are the same cultivar as "Stuttgarter", they are long day onions. That means they probably will not bulb for you.
The bulbing process in onions is triggered by daylength, and on the Gulf Coast, our days don't get long enough to trigger bulbing in long-day onions at all. If the bulbing process does get triggered, it won't happen until summer, when it's too hot for onions anyway.
You should be growing short-day onions. However, some of the intermediate day onions - Candy in particular - can do well along the Gulf Coast.
|
|
|
Post by meandtk on Oct 6, 2014 16:47:09 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL billh Thanks I wish I could remember where I read the recommendation of Stuttgart for this area. :-(
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 8, 2014 8:52:39 GMT -5
Well, "Stuttgart" and "Stuttgarter" could be two different cultivars. When I searched for "Stuttgart onions" most of the results were for "Stuttgarter."
I did find a couple of references to "Stuttgart" onions and both said the variety comes from Germany. Germany's latitude is roughly 47-55 degrees N, which is definitely long-day onion territory.
Since you already have the Stuttgart onions, if you have the space you could go ahead and plant them. They might surprise us, and if nothing else, you'll get scallions. Maybe even maybe big ones the size of leeks by the end of the season. There will be plenty of tasty uses for them, even if they don't bulb.
Or maybe you could work out a trade with a gardener who lives in long-day onion territory.
If you are willing to grow onions from seeds, you can often find Yellow Granex seeds* for cheap just about anywhere. Now is the time to sow onion seed.
Plants and sets of short-day onions should be planted in early January here; since we are close in latitude, your date is probably similar. Garden centers and feed and seed stores around here often have sets or plants for Yellow Granex - and usually one or two other short-day onions - in winter. If the onion sets/plants show up in the stores early, you can go ahead and plant them. It won't hurt them to set them out early - they can handle anything our winters can dish out.
(*Yellow Granex is the same cultivar as Vidalia, but you can't legally call any onion "Vidalia" unless it is grown in a certain part of SE Georgia)
Good luck, whatever you do!
|
|
|
Post by meandtk on Oct 8, 2014 9:40:33 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL I would definitely trade, if I could. I'll look for the Granex seed. thanks
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Dec 9, 2017 20:22:47 GMT -5
Stuttgarter is a popular onion set in my area which is PA.
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 9, 2017 23:45:18 GMT -5
I forget, meandtk - did you plant those Stuttgart onion bulbs, and if so, how did they do?
|
|
|
Post by meandtk on Dec 10, 2017 17:07:17 GMT -5
I forget, meandtk - did you plant those Stuttgart onion bulbs, and if so, how did they do? I did, but neglected them, so they disappeared in the weeds. some things can be planted across the road. Onions need to be in sight I am not sure of this year's yellow onions. The nutsedge is too much. I may not fight it, but simply go to flaming or spraying and sacrifice the onions.
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 11, 2017 11:29:02 GMT -5
Eradicating the nutsedge might be best. Otherwise it will have your whole garden infested a year or two. Did you read up on the best ways to truly kill the stuff? Lots of methods that work for most grasses and weeds are completely ineffective against nutsedge.
|
|
|
Post by meandtk on Dec 11, 2017 15:45:28 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL, Yes, we had a thread here a few weeks ago about it.
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 12, 2017 11:42:38 GMT -5
That's right...I blame my cold for making me temporarily dumb. Huh, the smiley doesn't show up on the Christmas theme...probably too hard to stick a Santa hat on it. I can do without it until after New Year's.
|
|
|
Post by Gianna on Dec 12, 2017 12:03:38 GMT -5
|
|