How do I go about not knowing? It’s a – what’s the word? – I don’t know that word at this moment – that sort of question. That word that implies deception, craftiness, implies that I do know what I don’t know and I’m only saying I don’t know for some manipulative reason. I’m reading Climate: A New Story by Charles Eisenstein and I’m trying to know less.And more. But the truth is…

I’m growing onions from seed this year, attempting to grow a years’ supply. So an early thought is: How many do we need? One a day? Maybe two a day? Probably somewhere between the two. Five hundred, maybe. That sounds like a lot.

I’ve begun. I sowed the seed on Boxing Day in the greenhouse, in a propagator that keeps the temperature at about 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Boxing Day is a traditional day for sowing onion seed, I am reliably informed by myself. Where I learnt this, I’m unsure. 60 degrees is the correct temperature for germination, not hotter, books tell me that, and so I had to get a thermostat to regulate the temperature in the propagator.

I’ve done that, and the seed has come up, lots of it, easily enough for five hundred plants.

Disingenuous, that’s the word. It’s not the right word, not really. I mean it is. But it isn’t.

I looked at a YouTube video to see how to prick out my little onion plants. I had done quite a lot of it already and I wanted to see if I was doing it right, although I knew I was, and as it happens the video showed a slightly different method which I rejected. I do know what I’m doing. I’ve been gardening for most of my life and I’m quite rich in years. But I’ve never grown onions from seed.

I did discover that one of the varieties I am growing has been in cultivation since 1885. Bedfordshire Champion. That’s quite exciting. The other two are Bajosta and Robelja. Robelja is a red onion. I’ve tried to discover years of origin for these, but I failed. I used up some time, which maybe did not need using, and now I’m back here.

In the greenhouse there are now eight forty plant modular trays, three hundred and twenty plants, and therefore three hundred and twenty onions, and there are still plenty of seedlings in the seed pots, so I will have enough, although space may be a problem. I will have to hope the weather stays mild.

In other news, I have garlic growing on the allotment and looking good, again I’m hoping for a years’ supply. Also the broad beans are looking cheery, although the winter savoury I sowed in modules, to plant next to them as a companion are not looking so happy. I’m hoping they have good roots, and new shoots will come. And just in case, I will also sow more. And seed potatoes are chitting and a greenhouse is gradually emerging on the allotment.

So maybe I do know my onions, and maybe the things I don’t know are waiting for me, ready to germinate when they are correctly stratified.

I’m happy to be back here writing, and please, talk to me. Tell me what you’re growing, what succeeded, what failed. I would like to hear from you. About growing vegetables, or anything.