Red onion sets bolting

[Jimmy]

I got a cheap bag of red onion sets from Wilko early in the year.

Planted them in front border for extra sunshine. This caused a bit of controversy with "her who has to be obeyed", she prefers tossy flowers".

Still now the kids have left and I am all grown up the "has to be obeyed" part often gets bypassed.

But now I will get the derogatory comments that I wasted a good flower border on faulty onions.

As I recall once they bolt they are useless and I might as well dig those out.
Hopefully some won't bolt but I am not optimistic (as my signature below suggests).

The things I can attribute it to are
1) Cheap sets.
2) The bed is a bit weed infested as I have been busy, it was earmarked for this Bank Holiday for weeding.
3) It's been VERY dry of late and I have not watered them.

Any comments or experiences ???

Dis-chuffed Jimmy

[rustylady]

It's probably the weather, but they will still be useable. Just nip the flower heads off. They obviously won't be up to supermarket standards so SWMBO won't be appreciative but they should taste fine. Just be aware that the ones that bolt won't store well.

[Nicos]

Garlic, leeks and onions - as well as lettuce and rhubarb - (and a few other veg) will suddenly bolt into flower when they are 'stressed'
This can be due to sudden extremes of temperatue or lack of rain followed by sudden rainfall- or vice versa.

It thinks it's going to die and will rush through to the flowering stage so iut can make seeds before it dies.
Good for the plant- but not for us.

Just chop off the flowers as they start to develop- you should be OK . And as RL says- use those first!

[Jimmy]

OK will leave them in. But I seem to recall that they get very thick stems and are sort of woody and weird.
Perhaps the two days of sweltering heat set them off.
Jimmy

[zazen999]

Planted them in front border for extra sunshine. This caused a bit of controversy with "her who has to be obeyed", she prefers tossy flowers".

Has she not heard of Alliums?

Anyhow - red onions are very sensitive to extremes of temp; I am assuming these went in last autumn?

Anyhow - I pull the ones that bolt and use those first. If you catch them early enough the middle flower stems are still ok to cook and eat.

[Jimmy]

I am assuming these went in last autumn?

As I said I bought them "early in the year."

Now whilst I like to think I am quite savvy I have not yet master manipulation of Space/Time, unlike Dr Who.

So not having access to a Tardis in late March I had to use the current space/time frame and popped them in then.

Seriously though I will leave them and see what happens.

As for, Alliums, I wouldn't think so, only know things as pretty flowers, sub classified into large/medium/small.

[jacob]

Onion flowers are quite pretty, if that's of any help?

[Nicos]

They are VERY pretty- you could leave a few for your OH- and then collect the seeds and grow them for free next year !

[zazen999]

As I said I bought them "early in the year."

Now whilst I like to think I am quite savvy I have not yet master manipulation of Space/Time, unlike Dr Who.

So not having access to a Tardis in late March I had to use the current space/time frame and popped them in then.

Seriously though I will leave them and see what happens.

As for, Alliums, I wouldn't think so, only know things as pretty flowers, sub classified into large/medium/small.

You didn't say which year

[Jimmy]

You didn't say which year

Oops, sorry I bought them it 1826 , perhaps thats why the bolted !

[Jimmy]

They are VERY pretty- you could leave a few for your OH- and then collect the seeds and grow them for free next year !

Now that's a very interesting idea I might well do that.
Owt for nowt sounds OK to me.

Not sure OH would understand concept of flowering veg, they would still be viewed as enemy equipment in her territory.

[Flummery]

Cauliflower? I always found red onion sets dicey. More prone to bolting and never get very big. I stopped trying. I can take a hint!

[Jimmy]

I used to grow onions at my last house 30 years ish ago. Usually white sets.
They were always superb, although I still had a few bolt.
I have tried at this new house in the back garden. But they always fail, they grow distorted, both seeds and sets.
I think it's an onion parasite in the soil My son once used a microscope and saw some tiny little life forms in the rings.
I was hoping the front garden might fair better.
We will see !
Thanks
Jimmy

[womble]

I got white rot a few years ago and found out the possibility of having a bed just for onions, you make it raised with fresh soil and sand, then you use it each year for the onion family.
There are conflicting ideas about it. Obviously some say it is a bad idea, as you are growing the same stuff on the same ground all the time.
On the other hand, many large onion growers swear by it, until they get problems I presume.

I never did it btw, I'm still using up all the bits of ground I have, that I hope are clear of white rot.

[dawndaisy]

overwintered onions flowering

Hope you can help, my onions are starting to send up flower stems but the bulbs arnt really ready yet. Should I just leave them alone, pull off the flower heads, or pull them all up? They are developing very thick necks so I know they'll need eating quickl rather than storing.
Thanks
Dawndaisy