First of this month? If so they should be toothpick size. Generally you should think about germinating onions in February. The garden center probably started them early Feb by the sound of it. I started my onions in mid March, and they are smaller than I would like. I am ordering some backup seedlings online from www.dixondalefarms.com. They seem reasonably priced (cheaper than my local garden center), and f they turn out well, I may not bother starting from seed next year.

Thanks, maybe I'll buy some from the garden center in case my seedlings don't catch up. Next year I'll start them earlier-they don't have cippoline onions or leeks at the garden center. I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for those.

Ellen

Dixondale Farms has both. I can't recommend them yet as I have not received my order (they schedule orders to ship according to when you should be ready to plant them), but I have high hopes. They were helpful on the phone when I added to my order.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dixondale Farms Order Form

Dixondale ain't coming up on UncleJohn's link at the moment. It's only temporary. When their site comes back on, you can also try it below.

Martin

Here is a link that might be useful: Dixondale

I'm also starting onions from seed for the first time. The first ones were started early, but I had trouble with damping off and other things. Despite losing time, I retried until I got it right, three times. I figured I might as well learn now instead waiting until next year, since onion seeds aren't supposed to keep well. Each subsequent try was more successful. The last batch may be too late to produce the largest onions, but that's OK. It's a good learning experience. Next year will be easy.

Jim

Thanks for the dixondale farms link. I ordered some plants, but will also plant my little toothpicks when they get bigger, since they were out of Candy, and I forgot to order cipollines.

Ellen

By all means, plant your 'toothpicks" when they get big enough. I delibertly plant some seed late. They make medium size onions here, and the quality seems better. Dixondale has a quality product and if you can get friends to go in with you, the price drops rapidly as the quanity goes up.

I know this thread is a little old but I found it very helpful. Last year I planted sets with out much success so I am trying my hand at seeds this year. I planted some Yellow Sweet Spanish seeds about a week ago and they still haven't sprouted. I did not realize that onion seeds do not store well so I will be planting the rest of the package today. I have one question though. To get them to germinate is it best to keep them in a warm place or a cool place because I've heard it both ways?

I sprouted mine on heating pads on low, about 80 degree soil temp.Have about 50% germination and still sone sprouting as seed pack said 7-21 days.Would be interested as well if there were other ways.

I have them in clear plastic bags in a sunny window and they have started sprouting over the last few days. Everyday the number of sprouts seem to double so Im pretty excited. I should have counted the seeds so I could tell the % of germination.