growing onions from seed

I have grown red and white onion from set and seed and prefer seed as I like the wonder of it and got just as good results. nothing sophisticated I'm afraid. Sowed in January in an unheated propagator on the kitchen window sill then transplanted into a raised bed when big enough.

first year  aving a allotment.so did both ad a good crop from seed  not bad from setts must say prefair seed  just to see the results.

I have grown from seeds for the past 6/7 years and was only intoduced to sets this year as a relative had more then he needed, the sets seemed ok (red & white) but dont really compare in size or flavour to the seeds grown in previous years, i normally start my seeds in trays from March, or straight in to the ground from mid/late April (weather & temperature dependant)

I've grown from seed for the last couple of years, sown in early February in cells indoors & moved out to the greenhouse once they get going, planted out from late March/early April (I live in Shetland, nothing gets planted out before then, we always expect snow at easter), I've had good results so far. Also grow shallots from seed, both banana type and those that produce a single bulb, only a small proportion are suitable for pickling, as the bulbs are way to big.

I have grown onions and leeks from seed twice now, I plant them out around April but so far have had hardly any results, They seem to grow very slowly and are still not very large? When should they be ready?