So why don't we just plant by sets? You can but you could be passing up a better tasting onion. sets are onions seeds that are planted and started then they at a certain stage withhold water and run a big roller over them and break their necks. Then they harvest the bulbs and that's what they sell you. One of the things about starting the growth and stopping it is that it builds up some strong compounds. Some people like an onion with all the fire in the world so that' fine for them but if you like a more rounded and delicate and sweeter taste then starting onions by seed will give you that. Also sets only come in few varieties. There are all kinds wonderful tasting varieties by seed. When picking out seed as a general rule yellow onions are the strongest and purple or red the mildest and white is in between. Also the strongest onions will last the longest or store better after harvest. Also don't be misled that if plant Vidalia onion seed that you'll end up with that sweet Vidalia onion taste. You can even use the exact same seeds that they use to grow Vidalia onions in Vidalia Georgia but you won't get that Vidalia onion taste because that section of Georgia has extremely low sulphur content in the soil. It's the sulphur compounds that give an onion that sharp flavor. When you bring it up and plant it here in soil that's not far from coal seams and plenty of sulphur in the soil you get that sharp flavor and not the sweet Vidalia onion.
