Onion Sets going to seed?

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Gang,

A couple of quick questions if you dont mind!

One of the other plotholders told us to check our overwintering onion sets yesterday, as all of his were running to seed, on checking we found that 4 of them had started to produce the flower stalk, so following the other plotholders advice we snipped the flower stalk off, in the hopes that this will put the plants effort back into producing a bulb! He was very much of the opinion that it would!

If we managed to cut the stem before it began to flower, then does this mean that we should still get useable onions from the ones that were beginning to set flower?

The few sets that were beginning to flower were all from the sets we planted in October last year, and were amongst the largest we have yet grown, with bulbs that look like they are forming, should we lift them now and use them, or leave it until the foliage begins to wilt?

Any advice, experiences or opinions welcomed!

[Flummery]

They won't store well if they have started to form a flower stalk Mrs D. They might continue to grow as a bulb but I think they are better eaten.

[Snadger]

I personally would pull them out!
Funnily it IS usually the bigger sets that bolt for some reason. If you leave them in, even with the flowering spike nipped off I still don't think they will be worth keeping.

Anyways, from what I remember you were growing hundreds so a few won't be too much of a miss, will they?

[Protea]

A few of mine were producing flower spikes a couple of weeks ago too - i snapped them off but lef the plant in - overwintered onions don't store well anyway (or so i'm told) so we'll use those up first.

[Mrs Dobby]

Thanks for the info / advice folks, we'll pull those 4 and eat em asap!

Anyways, from what I remember you were growing hundreds so a few won't be too much of a miss, will they?

Only a few hundred Snadger!

Actually, we've 49 Radar sets growing, 47 Electric sets (all planted in October) and the rest of the overwintering ones are Sturon sets (approx 170 or so), which were planted later in February. We've also planted another 70 odd spring planting sets too, so hopefully they will be the ones to store, along with the Ailsa Craig onions we've grown from seed!

Guess we may be able to sacrifice a few to harvest early / save from going to seed!

[Grandpadragon]

Actually, we've 49 Radar sets growing, 47 Electric sets

Could this be the cause of Global Warming I ask myself