Onions bolting

[growingkasbar]

I keep hearing about onions bolting but i have no idea what this is?! I am growing onions myself so maybe i should know some gardening jargon. I need to get myself a copy of grow your own magazine i think lol.

[tootles]

It is when they grow a flower head and try to set seed.

[NOG]

It normally happens if you let them dry out . it does not affect you eating then but they do not store.

[jacob marley]

What i have found is that Onion sets bolt more easily than Onions grown from seed ...jacob.

[growingkasbar]

Oh i see, thanks guys. I am learning loads from all the grapes on here. I didnt even know onions could flower! lol

[Two_Sheds]

I didnt even know onions could flower! lol

they need to flower in order to make seeds. Actually , the flowers are pretty spectacular, leeks even more so: like big purple footballs.

[growingkasbar]

Wow, almost worth letting them bolt to see the flowers lol

[zazen999]

Wow, almost worth letting them bolt to see the flowers lol

I do chuck, and save the seeds for the next year's plants.

I try to save seeds from those that bolt last though, to encourage late bolting strains. The early ones get eaten and the heads nipped out.

Not had any bolt yet though, from the autumn sown sets.

[PAULW]

I was checking on some banana shallots I had planted, I thought O no they've gone to seed then I remembered thats what I planted them for the seed.

[Nicos]

onion flower.....

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/d...nionFlower.jpg

[growingkasbar]

Oh thats worth knowing, i may try that then lol. Free seeds.

[miss_corerupted]

So should we dig them up before a flower head starts appearing i'm confused?

[digthatchick]

Onions are Alliums - and have very similar flowers.

This is an Allium flower, compare it with the onion flower above