Onions?

[jacquie]

Having just aquired an allotment, which wasn't worked after early last year due to the ill-health of the previous tenant, I have found several rows of onions. They mostly look in reasonable state and are just beginning to grow new leaves. They are nearly all only about the size of a large daffodil bulb, which is what I thought they were (duh) when I found the first one or two, so they didn't grow much last year. I then thought perhaps they are shallots, but they are all still single bulbs.

My question is: should I dig them up and start with new sets on a fresh area of the allotment, or can I leave them in place until normal harvest time; are they likely to come to anything or just bolt?

Jacquie

[lynda66]

they may grow, they may bolt, so you either get onions or seeds and the flowers are pretty so if it was me i'd leave them, i've also got some about that size maybe a bit smaller planted in july last year and i'm keeping my fingers crossed for yummy onions.

[Capsid]

For that size of bulb I reckon they were planted last spring/summer and this year they will just flower. So I wouldn't leave them in the soil and start with new sets.

[zazen999]

Any chance of a photo so we know what we are dealing with? The previous tenant might have popped a row of onions sets in last autumn...or they might well be too far gone.

[jacquie]

Definitely planted pre-June, because by then he was in regular hospital treatment. Nothing was done last summer. I thought they must have been planted either spring 08 or possibly even autumn/winter 07. They are evenly spaced which is why I thinks they were sets, mostly with about third to half out of the soil, and the ones that are growing leaves have a couple of inches showing. One or two have had the centres eaten out - do rabbits or muntjac like onion? They mostly look like big sets that are just starting growing, but they are small to have been ready to harvest last autumn.

I have plenty of space (it's a very big plot) so could leave them and plant some others elsewhere, but I don't want to leave them if this could be the cause of problems in the future. On the other hand, onions are about our biggest consumption, so the more the merrier....

Jacquie

[zazen999]

What the heck, if you have the space leave them in.

Could you pop your location into your profile though...it just helps to give more apt advice [if you're staying that is!].

[Capsid]

If planted pre-June last year then they will just flower this year. Onions are biennials forming the bulb in the first year and flower the next. I'd dig them up as they won't amount to anything now.

[lottie dolly]

Having just aquired an allotment, which wasn't worked after early last year due to the ill-health of the previous tenant, I have found several rows of onions. They mostly look in reasonable state and are just beginning to grow new leaves. They are nearly all only about the size of a large daffodil bulb, which is what I thought they were (duh) when I found the first one or two, so they didn't grow much last year. I then thought perhaps they are shallots, but they are all still single bulbs.

My question is: should I dig them up and start with new sets on a fresh area of the allotment, or can I leave them in place until normal harvest time; are they likely to come to anything or just bolt?

Jacquie

just before christmas i found some spring onions i forgot about,now they were rather big,could it be thats what you found,if so you could eat them,but the results are still the same if left in the ground,will bolt and go to seed,freebies for next year.

[BarleySugar]

When the leaves get a bit bigger, pull them and eat them as spring onions. I always thought that was how you did spring onions until I grew up, because that was the way my mum grew them. She used to plant any onions that started to shoot, so yours would be the same. They tasted fine.

[gojiberry]

Some shallots only produce one bulb so could be either onion or shallot. Dig them up and use them ASAP. Whether shallots or onions they are in their second year and will definitely just go to seed which if you want your own seed is fine. Otherwise start with fresh stock.

Ian

[cupcake]

EAT THEM!

[carollesley]

Can anyone help please. My onions are big, the tops havent fallen over yet but some seem to be a little bit soft. Should i pull these and use them now?
Also i have grow shallots this year and iv never seen shallots so big. They are like large groups of onions. Will they be ok to use?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Stick a fork under the onion and lever back to break the roots. Then leave to die back and dry off a bit. After that, get them under cover in a dry airy frost free palce and they should keep you going till March. The shallots will be fabbie

[Potstubsdustbins]

Like the man said.


Colin