Onion sets

[Paul Carter]

Due to the wet weather we've had started my onion sets indoors, I have now taken them out of the containers to plant out. The bulb hasn't grown any and they have very long roots. Does anyone know if they will grow as normal or am I wasting my time with them???

 

[headfullofbees]

You say the bulb hasn't grown, but what about leaves?

 

[Paul Carter]

You say the bulb hasn't grown, but what about leaves?

Yes the leaves are between 5 and 8 inch long

 

[headfullofbees]

Yes the leaves are between 5 and 8 inch long

Then your onions are doing well.
Onions come in three kinds, day short, day medium, day long, and they change their growth habit dependant upon the number of hours of daylight.
Onions grown from spring plantings in the UK are "Day Long".
This means that from planting until ~ the Summer Solstice (next week), their growth is concentrated on growing as much greenery as possible, to use, after this date, for the photosynthesis required to build up the store of energy for the winter (the bulb), which will, in turn, be used to power the flowering and seed head next year.
You'll notice the difference in a week or two.

 

[Paul Carter]

Then your onions are doing well.
Onions come in three kinds, day short, day medium, day long, and they change their growth habit dependant upon the number of hours of daylight.
Onions grown from spring plantings in the UK are "Day Long".
This means that from planting until ~ the Summer Solstice (next week), their growth is concentrated on growing as much greenery as possible, to use, after this date, for the photosynthesis required to build up the store of energy for the winter (the bulb), which will, in turn, be used to power the flowering and seed head next year.
You'll notice the difference in a week or two.

Thank you very much for your reply, your information was very helpful and its good to know I'm not wasting my time.