Red onions going to seed!!

[bazzaboy]

I always grow Red Baron from sets and have never experienced any bolting... except this year I put in the usual order with Marshalls and for some reason they were unusually late delivering... Meantime I saw Red Baron sets in Wilkinsons for £1 a bag - so I got some of those as well... Both M and W sets are doing well but in the last few days (it's been quite wet here) I notice that every Wilko RB set is now running to seed (not a problem, I'll use 'em up anyway) but not one of the Marshall's sets is bolting. Apart from the W sets being sown first both groups have had identical growing conditions so I assume the difference might be due to the efficiency of any heat treatment they've been subjected to.... Perhaps one up to Marshalls this time? bb.

[Garden Gremlin]

Its the first time I have grown onions, to be honest its the first time I have grown anything as we only recently got an allotment but my red onions have started to have flower heads on too. So my question is, do you just remove the flower head or all the stalk .

I think next year I will attempt to grow red onions from seed and white from sets and see if that makes a difference.

[jamesp]

Its the first time I have grown onions, to be honest its the first time I have grown anything as we only recently got an allotment but my red onions have started to have flower heads on too. So my question is, do you just remove the flower head or all the stalk .

I think next year I will attempt to grow red onions from seed and white from sets and see if that makes a difference.

Just remove the flower head, just remember that any you have removed the flower head from will not keep for storing as the flower within the bulb will start rotting as you lift them, so just mark them by using a plant marker or something or a twig next to the ones that tried to flower, you will then know to eat these in a few days after lifting.

Personally I find growing onions from seed much harder than from sets, ie thinning out and they take a long time to grow compared to sets.

This year I am growing two diff types (Red Baron and Jet Set White)from sets to pick early as spring onions, planted the sets in March and now they ready for picking, already had some and they taste nice but they not very hot yet as they haven't had enough sun on them as yet.

I have also found for the first time that about 6 of my Red Barrons are bolting to seed and have removed the flower head accordingly, I assume the heat treatment didnt kill the flower head in all the bulbs, the other 100 or so i have planted out have not bolted so far.

[jackie j]

My red onions are very soft and I have dug them all up, white onions are doing fine.

[jamesp]

My red onions are very soft and I have dug them all up, white onions are doing fine.

Yeah my red ones are soft too, its just the growing conditions this year.

I find that if you peel off a few layers of skin then the onion is fine, although about half the size when picked.

[gojiberry]

I have grown white onions from seeds for the first time this year and they are doing far better than the sets. I know you have to start them off in Jan and they do take a bit of time and effort but looking at half time results well worth it.

Ian

[margotay]

I've planted some shallots in April and they are quite tall and quite a few leaves for each one, but how do I know when they are ready?. Presumably ,each leaf should have a little shallot at the end of it ? .( how can you tell I'm a newbie !!)

margo

[hawthorns]

red karmen onions i have just dont want to bulb up at all. very disapointed with them

[littlegreenman]

Same has happened to my red onions, regular ones are fine though.

[Keith2202]

I grow Hungarian Red Ham onions from seed and I don't think they can be surpassed for taste! They have a distinctive taste similar to a shallot but far nicer in my opinion, especially in gravy!

Where do get them from Snadger? I've seen a previous link of yours for Hungary Foods on ebay, but I can't track them down.

Cheers

[SarzWix]

Last year I grew heat treated Red Emperor and Red Baron. The Red Baron were pants and nearly all went to seed. The Emperor were fantastic though and only about 10% bolted. So this year I invested in 2 lots of the Emperor, and just about every single bl**dy one has gone to seed Really fed up with them.
I'll have to chop up and freeze mountain loads of the flippin' things because there's far too many to use up in a week or 2 - they were meant to last all winter!

[burnie]

My Highred F1's are still doing ok.

[Twinkle]

yeah - most of my Red Barons are flowering too.... grew from sets this year after having the same happen with seed grown ones last year.

Red onions are cheap enough to buy so may give them a miss next year

[Snadger]

Where do get them from Snadger? I've seen a previous link of yours for Hungary Foods on ebay, but I can't track them down.

Cheers

I've had problems sourcing them mself this year and had to rely on old seed.
Long Red Florence onions are very similar and are a lot easier to source!

[zazen999]

I've planted some shallots in April and they are quite tall and quite a few leaves for each one, but how do I know when they are ready?. Presumably ,each leaf should have a little shallot at the end of it ? .( how can you tell I'm a newbie !!)

margo

They will split and you will see that they open out - I can't see them being ready in 8 weeks to be honest - I've only just harvested the ones I put in last autumn.