Eating Spring from Onions

[veg4681]

I've started to harvest the springs from my autumn sown onions (too tempting). Am I in any way slowing down the onions from bulbing and growing bigger? The springers are an average of 6-9" high. Thanks.

[Flummery]

I've still got some in the open ground, still eating them - loverly grub!

[la cebolla grande]

If you are taking the greenery off and leaving the bulbs in the ground they really won't do well at all - in fact they are unlikely to sprout again, and if they do the bulbs will shrink, not swell!. We plant autumn onions pretty close together and use some of them as 'spring onions' through the winter and spring. But, we harvest the whole thing bulb and all.Try harvesting every other one, and then the remaining ones will bulk up well, especially with the extra space around them you have created.

[veg4681]

If you are taking the greenery off and leaving the bulbs in the ground they really won't do well at all - in fact they are unlikely to sprout again, and if they do the bulbs will shrink, not swell!. We plant autumn onions pretty close together and use some of them as 'spring onions' through the winter and spring. But, we harvest the whole thing bulb and all.Try harvesting every other one, and then the remaining ones will bulk up well, especially with the extra space around them you have created.

Oh dear , but I have been careful only to pinch one shoot at a time and from different onions each time. I leave the central stem/shoot alone though.

[rustylady]

Onions for bulbing really do need all their foliage throughout the year. If you want to use some as spring onions, then pull out alternate ones and use the whole thing.

[momol]

Oh Veg, you are not the only one, i did it before but back then (2006) it was nearly to their harvest time (a week or 10 days before harvest), I collected only single leaf per onion plant.
Yours still need it's leaves/springs, why don't you grow extra spring onions this way you don't need to disturb them.

[vegnut]

What are you guys using the springs for, what i mean is are you using them like chives chopped up or some other devilishly tasty thing. Please share

[veg4681]

What are you guys using the springs for, what i mean is are you using them like chives chopped up or some other devilishly tasty thing. Please share

You can have it like chives on your salad or cooked in Chinese stir fry, whatever you wish . But I won't be using them, now that I know I shouldn't if I want my onions to bulb up (so in future it's useful to set aside some onion sets as springers).

[vegnut]

Thanks for the info veg4681

[rustylady]

You can have it like chives on your salad or cooked in Chinese stir fry, whatever you wish . But I won't be using them, now that I know I shouldn't if I want my onions to bulb up (so in future it's useful to set aside some onion sets as springers).

Spring onions are usually grown from seed, not sets. If you just want onion tasting leaves why don't you grow chives? Totally hardy, increase year on year, and you just cut the leaves as you want them.

[veg4681]

Spring onions are usually grown from seed, not sets. If you just want onion tasting leaves why don't you grow chives? Totally hardy, increase year on year, and you just cut the leaves as you want them.

I do have chives too growing in my garden but right now nothing to eat from that one . Also have overwintered spring onions but so useless with not enough flesh to eat. In fact nothing much to eat from the garden except for Pak Choy...Springtime hurry up!

[momol]

Veg,
Regarding your Pak Choy, I think you are better off harvesting them now as spring come they will bolt immediately . Grow some garlic chives and you will be happy by this time. Mine were brought in during early dec 07 and now they reshoot indoor which is good, I don't need to blanch them .
You can also bring in your spring onions for easy harvest ( I intended so, until aphid colonized it and lady bugs and it's larvaes come along... now I leave it alone for the sake of lady bugs ).