Onions

[Barbara]

Can I ask a couple of questions please.

The man on the next lotty, his onions have a flower on top, what's that about.

and how will I know when ours are ready will they turn colour or something.

Thanks. x

[Rosefriend]

Ooo this is one for FB I reckon....

I remember him saying that if he sees an onion that is going to flower he nips the head off and still uses the onion, just taking the middle part out.
I let the leaves start dying/totally dying down and then take them out and dry them...the drying I have found to my cost is the most important part....

RF

[Barbara]

Thanks Sue, dry them on the ground or artificially. as in the airing cupboard or something, and what if it never stops raining and it's meant to be outside. oh decisions decisions.

[Rosefriend]

Yes that was my problem and I cooked the first lot that I had and had to bin them...you should dig them up and let them dry on the surface of the soil....
What the hell you do when it rains constantly I haven't a clue....I shoved mine in the small plastic GH on the grid shelves with the flap open... last year I had wonderful onions....drying is really very very important...

RF

[carolann]

Yes Barbara I just nip the flower bud off as well but leave it till the leaves turn yellowish then if its a fine day pull the onions and leave on the top of the soil to dry but I usually hang mine by their stems in bunches from the GH roof and leave the door open a little to let the air circulate around the bunches which I leave hanging till the skins feel nice and dry then I rub off the outer skins and cut the leaves/stem down and put into my onion basket, any with very thick stems use first as they dont keep very well. You can just pick them when they are large enough for you depending on what type you have planted not sure about the giant ones ;D

[Barbara]

Thanks girls I've planted red ones.

[pdblake]

Just nip the flower off and remember to use the ones that bolt first as they won't keep as well.

[Barbara]

I haven't got flowers PD, it's the man next to me. he also has a HUGE flower spike on his rhubarb, I have told him what to do.

[pdblake]

Saying that, he might be saving seed ;D

[Amber]

With mine I wait until the tops bend over naturally....that indicates they are "ready" I lift them slightly to "break" the roots and leave for a week or so...I then spread them out in the polytunnel to dry.....2/3 weeks, then lift them...take off the brown papery tops and store in sacks for use over the autumn/winter i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/smiley.gif

[Barbara]

Thanks Amber I'm taking it all on board, and passing it on to Hubby.

[Ladygardener]

I too am growing Red Barron and am taking everything on board. I'm fairly pleased with them so far.

[isabella]

Most of our overwintered onions have bolted so Barry dug them up

[Barbara]

I read that if it's too cold when planted they bolt, so how can you plant them in the winter. sorry if I'm being thick or missing something.

[Rosefriend]

The way that I understand it is that the cold is no problem for onions seeds or sets when sowing/planting...the onions have got to have started growing well for a cold snap to make it think it is winter and time to set seed....so it bolts/flowers...

I had a couple of onions bolting last year, nothing much and I used them first and just binned the hard middle bit...

I had a look at mine today as with 5C at night it is really chilly...up to now I can't see any bolting but it wouldn't surprise me...

RF

[farmersboy]

Jun 8, 2012 14:47:07 GMT Barbara said:

Can I ask a couple of questions please.

The man on the next lotty, his onions have a flower on top, what's that about.

and how will I know when ours are ready will they turn colour or something.

Thanks. x

I guess he is growing them for seed Barbara,when the flowers die they will leave seeds,

When your onion tops bend over,and start to go brown,they are ready to lift

[Barbara]

No FB he just hasn't got a clue what he's doing.

He has let his rhubarb go to seed as well, when I tol him he had to pick some he didn't know it was ready.

[farmersboy]

;D

[MamIDdau]

We've got some onions drying on top of the cat carrier under the stairs... It was too wet to leave them hanging from the pergola lol

[bobbiek]

Just pulled my onions out and they are drying. Now I have to hope the bunnies don't go after the carrots, which are only about 4 cm long so far.