onions left in ground form last year??

[Tori]

Hi,

Have got some onions that got left in the ground at the allotment. They are now sprouting green shoots about 6 inches high, do I leave them in or chuck them?

thanks

[pipscariad]

I left mine in (there were only about 3 or 4 that hadn't really grown the previous year and had been overlooked), and they split into bunches and I ate them like spring onions, they were great. I even moved the ones that were in inconvenient places, and they were okay too.

[Snadger]

They will run straight to seed but the seed heads are quite ornamental!

[sarraceniac]

I too overlooked a few from last year that are now sprouting. I have never done that before, reckon my eye-sight is going as a result of old age, but I am leaving them in just to see what happens. How did they split Pipscariad? Is it like shallots because I certainly have no sign of that, or very much else other than green shoots - (no not the economy), happening.

[SlugLobber]

They will try to flower in their second year, won't they? I suppose if you eat as spring onions, they'll be ok. I had a couple try to flower in their sown season (when I didn't water enough). Although I cut the flowers off, they didn't seem to want to do much, so I think the Spring Onion idea is your best bet.

[pipscariad]

How did they split Pipscariad? Is it like shallots because I certainly have no sign of that, or very much else other than green shoots - (no not the economy), happening.

If you imagine a clump of about 5 or 6 spring onions all packed together in a papery outer case, that was it. It didn't take them long to get like that. They were sets which hadn't really grown in size from their first planting.

[vegnut]

I would start munching on them, and grow some new ones.

[Rocketron]

They will run straight to seed but the seed heads are quite ornamental!

Saving you the bother of buying next year.

[bridget mc laughlin]

They will never do anything but put up aflower shoot