Confused by harvesting time.

[carly]

So I planted some soft neck spring planting garlic and it said on the pack it would be ready to harvest July August? It also says this about the red onion seeds I planted. But I read elsewhere that onion and garlic need much longer growing season and won’t be ready until next June? I’m confused can someone help.

[burnie]

I lift mine when they look ready and are needed, packets/books are a guide not a rule.(well at least in my garden they are)

[happyhumph]

There are two kinds of garlic - soft neck and hard neck. Differences are;

Soft neck is planted in spring and harvested July/August. It lasts longer in storage and has a milder taste.

Hard neck garlic is planted in autumn and harvested in roughly June. It doesn't last as long in storage, but has a stronger, and some (including me) think it has a stronger more complex flavour.

By the sound of it you've got soft neck garlic so looking at July/August harvesting. Main thing is to go by the leaves - when they start going brown and papery around that time lift one or two to see if they're ready.

Never had much luck with onions so can't help there....

[veggiechicken]

Did you sow onion seeds or plant onion sets? There's a big difference in the length of time they take to mature.

[carly]

Did you sow onion seeds or plant onion sets? There's a big difference in the length of time they take to mature.

Hi,
I planted onion seeds. Red Baron. Planted them 15th April.

[veggiechicken]

This what Marshall's say about Red Baron seeds


Large bulbs with a shiny red skin and a strong flavour.

SOW INDOORS: January-March 5 seeds per module under glass, or into seed trays of moist compost.

SOW OUTDOORS: February-March thinly into pre watered soil ½in (1cm) deep in rows 12in (30cm) apart in fine friable soil.

PLANT OUT: April the little clumps of bulbs in each module will push themselves apart as they grow.

HARVEST: August-September for casseroles or pull young as spring onions.

Liquid feed during summer.

[Kirk]

Garlics are not too difficult, the simple option is harvest when the leaves start to turn brown. I allow about 1/3 of the foliage to go brown(ish) then harvest.

Onions are more difficult, and half the problem is us.
To get a good start we tend to sow seed at the end of the year. However if the onion germinates and grows sufficently then it will register that growth as the first year. And in the second year it will produce seed itself and not really a bulb. We conveniently forget the early growth and blame the onion.

So it can be hit and miss concerning what occurs. It is one reason why it is said to plant the small onion sets not the bigger ones, as there is greater chance that the small ones didn't get big enough to consider their short period of growth as the first year. So do not run to seed in the year we plant them, which they take as year 2 but we call year 1.

Such is my experience when it comes to onions I generally find that a trip to the supermarket is a lot easier and not overly greater an expense at the end of the day.

If you sowed seed on April 15 then they should grow nd form a bulb this year - well that is the general idea. You harvest that bulb when you want or need it this year.

Red Baron tends to be not easy, actually all the red ones seem a bit of a pain. But in good ground I suspect you have done the sensible option. You just need them to get going.

Onions are 3 types that bulb depending on the length of the day. We really need long day varieties in the UK. During the summer the amount of daylight is extended owing to the tilt of the planet so we get long days, say 18 hours of day light and 6 hours of dark. I have no idea what Red Baron are but as sold in the UK I assume long day as would all other "standard" UK varieties be.

[Kirk]

Managed to find this:

Day Length. Because "Red Baron" onions are a long-day variety, they will form tops first and then when the days reach about 14 to 16 hours long, bulbs start to form. For this reason, long-day onions grow best in northern climates. "Red Baron" onions usually need 105 days to become mature for harvest.

When to Plant Red Baron Onion Sets | Home Guides | SF Gate

[Potstubsdustbins]

I grew Red Baron for years before moving on to Red Fen (because they store better) both have the same attributes all foliage at first, then after the summer solstice in June the bulbs start to fill out I usually reckon on a September harvest.

You will know when they are ready as the foliage will wilt and fall over, then its lifting and drying ready for storing.

[carly]

Thanks everyone. All your comments have been great. I made a mistake and I sowed the seeds on 15th March not April.

[Two_Sheds]

I read elsewhere that onion and garlic ... won’t be ready until next June?

I think you misread, because by next June they will have flowered.
You sow and harvest in the same year