# Onions...too early?



## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

This is my first year to try onions. I ordered Texas Legend and a sample set from Dixon Farms back in November. Their suggested ship date for my zip code was December 8 so I let them go ahead and ship when ready, figuring they know when I should be planting here. Their directions on their website says to plant out 4-6 weeks before the average last frost. Here in San Marcos, that is Feb 28 according to the Farmer's Almanac. Backing up 6 weeks puts me at Jan 17 or so.

Now, of course I found all this out after I spent the afternoon planting out 282 Onion plants! Being that this is my first year with onions, I don't know what I should do. Will they be fine? Should I dig them up and keep them in the refrigerator for a while? Should I dig them up and order more to come in January? Dixon says they need to be planted within 3 weeks so even that would not put it at Jan 17 so I am not sure why their ship date is so early.

Any advice you could provide woudl be appreciated!


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## tinman (Apr 13, 2005)

You have already got them in the ground, so answer your own question.....leave them alone and see if they make it. If they do, you will have a big jump on the growing season. If they don't, repland in late January/early Feb.
Dixondale is supposed to deliver mine on 2-2-15, but I live farther north than you do, and that is the reason I chose that date.
Good luck with them, Dixondale has always had quality products.

Tinman


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I'm with tinman.If you get lucky and make it through some freezes,your in luck with some big onions,and being in San Marcos,I think it'd be worth the risk every year to plant some this early,more later 'cause you got time.I planted here north of Fort Worth the 1st of Feb. last year and had about an 80 percent lose.They didn't have time to recover before the next cold blast hit them.My Grandpa's and Dad always planted Feb. 14,onions and potatoes up here,and I knew better but had to try.I wish you all the luck.Bet you'll be ok.


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## RonnieS (Jan 1, 2010)

I've planted mine in December for the last 5 years and they have done well. I am at I-10 near the Louisiana line.


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

I e-mailed Dixondale and they said I should be fine as long as the temp does not get below 20Â° F. It seldom gets that low here anyway so all should be well. If it does get below that, the chances are the same in January as it would be now so I see no reason to wait now that I know more! We'll see what happens. If we get a real cold snap, I am going to be trying to figure out how to cover them up!


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## SwampRat (Jul 30, 2004)

I plant mine as soon as I get ahold of some plants, usually a couple of weeks ago... Not doing any this year, kinda frustrated after the last two years where I babied them and came up with some 'okay' ones....Simply, I get no direct sun due to two large trees to the east and south and so the growth potential is pretty low....If I had full sun of my Dad's garden with the soil/nutrients of mine, I would've grown huge ones. Oh well, I threw some lettuce seeds in my patch....


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

were within 20m of coast and always plant onions 1015 etc that come in bunches of 100/150 ... mid nov to mid dec..Onions are tuff the can take a pretty good freeze,,I can't remember loosing onions to freeze...


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I always plant my Bulbing onions in Dec & harvest in May. Last year they were out of 1015's so I planted Texas Tradition & loved them. This year they were out of TT & I planted 1015 but they finally got some TT so I have about 70 TT & around 200 1015's. No reds this year.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

MesquiteMan said:


> I e-mailed Dixondale and they said I should be fine as long as the temp does not get below 20Â° F. It seldom gets that low here anyway so all should be well. If it does get below that, the chances are the same in January as it would be now so I see no reason to wait now that I know more! We'll see what happens. If we get a real cold snap, I am going to be trying to figure out how to cover them up!


Put some hay around them. That is what I did already.


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

I have 275 Texas Legend and 105 Short Day Samplers both from Dixondale. I decided to not worry about it. According to everything I have read, onions will not freeze above 20Â° F. It seldom gets below that around here. Hay is a good idea, though, just in case we get that extra cold spell.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

The hay is a great idea.Reckon I'll try some extra earl onions and have some hay ready for the Artic blast that'll roll through.I bet I could have saved my crop last year if I'd had hay.I reckon wheat straw would stay better that bermuda?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Yes, straw probably stays better but it is a heck of a lot cheaper than Bermuda and has a lot fewer seeds in it. I use Bahia which works great but has a lot of seeds in it probably more than Bermuda ...so I will only use it in an emergency. Very effective. 

I'd give you some PW if you were close by...had an abundant crop this year.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

Another disadvantage of living dang near in yankee country.I'd sure take you up on it if I could.


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## pshay4 (Aug 18, 2005)

You normally put out 10-15s on Oct 15, and harvest in the spring.


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

pshay4 said:


> You normally put out 10-15s on Oct 15, and harvest in the spring.


According to Dixondale Farms, that is for onion seeds, not onion sets.


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