Great, hope you have great crop. Set mine in December, hitting bulbing stage now.

Thank you farmer for the nice comment.

Wayne - Good to see you posting again! I don't think I've seen you around here much for a while. What varieties did you put out and how many? Did you start them from seed?

I put out my Dixondale starts a couple weeks ago...about 40 each of Candy, Red Candy, and Superstar (Sierra Blanca). They are just starting to put out new growth. I need to throw some urea on them pretty soon. I mixed some triple 13 into the soil a week before planting.

I haven't started bulbing onions from seed for a few years. I can get a dozen or so varieties of Dixondale starts locally for $3 a bunch which is about the same price as a pack of seeds.

I do still start leeks and bunching onions from seed but not this year. I overwintered a couple dozen clumps of Evergreen Hardy White bunching onions and divided them and replanted about 150 in early March. No room for leeks this year due to my worsening tomato obsession.

Wayne - Good timing on your onions. I got mine planted on the 26th as well. It was sprinkling and a bit of a muddy mess as I finished. Last night we got 1.8" of rain.

LoneJack- I too have given up on starting the bulbing onions myself- just took up too much of my lighted space which I needed for other plant starts. I still start the leeks and scallion seeds myself. It looks like it will be awhile before I get the leeks planted as we are expecting more storms this afternoon- maybe severe.

A week ago we finished the last of our onions from last years crop. We have now moved

on to frozen Candy onions. Happy planting all!

Lone Jack, I planted about 60 each of White Candy and Highlander. I got them from Dixondale.

Maybe I am just imagining...are onions tougher from Dixondale than Bonnybest? If so, maybe a different strain....probably just my imagination or something.

I once raised some onions from seed years ago that were so spicy and delicious...a bit hot though. I am guessing that they may have been Southport Yellow Globe...not sure.

Tom - those severe storms are moving thru eastern Missouri now and they are watching what they expect to be most severe staring to blow up in northern Missouri. Good luck today and I hope you dodge anything too severe. I'm down to frozen onions as well and have been buying some red onions for salads and burgers. I wish Red Wing was adapted to further south latitudes so I could grow them for their storage ability.

Wayne - I've never used Bonny onions myself. Did they not do well for you? My Dixondale plants laughed at 25F one morning last week. I grew Highlander last year and they did OK but didn't get very big for me. They did store well into January until I finished them off. I think they are supposed to be the replacement for Copra?

I used to get onion plants from another source...probably Bonny Best. I can't say for sure, but they seemed more tender eating. The reason for ordering from Dixondale is their reliable service. Where I got them before were first come first served...they might be out of them when I wanted them.

LoneJack- I think I will be looking at Patterson next year to replace Copra, but this year was still able to get Copra. Redwing kept very well for me here in zone 5 until it sold out in the middle of March. Have you tried growing Redwing in KC?

Tom - no I haven't tried Red Wing. My local DD source has never offered it. According to Johnny's website it is only adapted down to 43N. I am at 38.5N and I don't quite get up to 15 hours of daylight at the summer solstice. If you think it could do decent for me I might order some seeds next year and give it a try. Maybe if I start them a little earlier to get bigger transplants they would have a better chance. I'd like a better storing red onion than Red Candy. Is it Patterson that's supposed to be the replacement for Copra?

Wayne - I thought by 'tougher' you meant they are more vigorous and hardy plants (not more tender) lol

LoneJack- I am at 42N. I don't know how Redwing would grow in your zone, but I think it would be worth a try. I would imagine that they would begin to bulb up for you when you hit 14 hours of daylight. Maybe you could ask your local source to supply some Redwing next year.

I spoke with Dixondale last December and they told me this was the last year they would be able to get Copra. They said they were actively working with their seed suppliers for a replacement to Copra. They assured me they would have a suitable replacement but the did not give me the name. I am only guessing it may be Patterson because from what I have read they are a long storage onion adaptable to 38-55N.

I’ve grown Redwing at 38N with good success. I’m growing Patterson this year for the first time. Now at closer to 39N.

Randy - thanks for that info, I'll have to give Red Wing a try next year one way or the other.

I'll ask the owner of my local DD source if they can include Red Wing in their order next year. It can't hurt to ask. He does carry some other long day types like Walla Walla and has offered Copra before. I don't remember if they had Patterson this year or not.