Earthing up onions

[Nicos]

We have quite sandy soil and when one of the locals was looking at our onions he looked horrified and asked if we were going to earth up our onions...they all do it apparently.
I'm wondering if it stops wind rock and I suppose the onions don't rot because it's sandy, dry soil on the surface.

Anyone else do this- and are those the reasons for earthing them up??????

[rana]

I've never heard of earthing up onions ?

Maybe you should also dress up in a striped T shirt and beret before hanging them on your push-bilke.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Thats funny, there was a thread going yesterday about 'fingering' your onions (basically running your fingers round the bulb, loosening the soil and therefore giving them room to expand), apparently its quite widely known about. So if you want your neighbours to think you're really odd - pop out and 'finger' your onions, don't earth them up, yours'll be bigger than theirs.

[Glaurung]

my resident mole has earthed up a few of mine.

[SlugLobber]

I haven't earthed mine up, but I have noticed a few keel over this last week or so. Not sure if that's because they're ready - I think it's more because they could do with more protection from the sun, so perhaps earthing up is not a bad idea!

[Dynamo]

Hmmm. This could be a good one. I've never heard of earthing up onions or fingering them, so what I might do is earth up a third of mine, finger another third (definately an "OOER MISSUS!" that one ), and leave the last third alone and see what difference, if any, there is.

[COMPOST CORNER]

Hmmm. This could be a good one. I've never heard of earthing up onions or fingering them, so what I might do is earth up a third of mine, finger another third (definately an "OOER MISSUS!" that one ), and leave the last third alone and see what difference, if any, there is.

Great idea, I'd love to hear the results of your test. I don't really have enough of any one type to make an experiment worthwhile. Not that I never thought of it or anything like that, oh no, just not a large enough number for a scientifically accurate and statistically viable experiment. Honest.

[Two_Sheds]

I have loose sandy soil here too, but the onion are well-rooted in. Never earthed them up.

They only tend to get loose because they've got white rot.

[zazen999]

I thought onions needed fingering in spring so that they could start absorbing the spring rains.....if you are doing an experiment you'll have to figure in ample water or it won't be worth it...

[Dynamo]

if you are doing an experiment you'll have to figure in ample water or it won't be worth it...

Thats easily done. I'm at the lottie at least two days out of three on average and it would only take two minutes to give them a good soaking.

[AnnetteJ]

I'm a first timer with onions and about a third of the onion bulb is sticking out of the soil. Do I need to cover them up? Will they go green if they're showing above the soil?

Thanks for any help!

[Florence Fennel]

I'm new to onions too Annette and mine are all about a third out of the soil. I harvested 5 on Sunday and I could burst with pride they are so beautiful and uniform and as they dry out the skins are going a lovely shade of brown!

[AnnetteJ]

That's great Florence! It's my first year growing anything edible and I'm amazed at how quickly it's all growing at the moment! It's such a good feeling eating your own veg!

Are we ok to leave them growing above the soil? Also 3 of mine had developed a flower bud on them, so I pulled them out at the weekend. I read on the net that you should dig them up if they form a flower bud and use them as soon as possible.

[Florence Fennel]

That's great Florence! It's my first year growing anything edible and I'm amazed at how quickly it's all growing at the moment! It's such a good feeling eating your own veg!

Are we ok to leave them growing above the soil? Also 3 of mine had developed a flower bud on them, so I pulled them out at the weekend. I read on the net that you should dig them up if they form a flower bud and use them as soon as possible.

Hi Annette, as per advice on here I nipped off (and continue to do so) the buds as they formed and left the onions in until quite a good size. Congratulations on becoming a grower, shop bought food will never be good enough again. The feeling is so satisfying when you pick something from the garden, prepare it and eat it all in the space of minutes!

[Snadger]

I've heard of people growing onions on top of ridges similar to earthed up tatties! You can then flood the valleys and help keep water away from the basal plate, which in turn should go some way to alleviating fungal problems.