bolting japanese onions

[poozie]

a row of my japanese onions has bolted, are they ruined now?

[Dobby]

I would just try bracking of the flower part and see what happends
might not store well but i supose you ould coud cut up and frezze

[poozie]

I actually loped off the flowers so fingers crossed. Thanks

[Dobby]

dontworry wehad the same prob with some onion sets this year
wont to trymainly onion seed next year there ment to be bette or storing

[Mrs Dobby]

Still want to grow some overwintering onion sets next year too Mr D, they are usually ready earlier and fill the gap, plus we'll have to plant some overwintering spring onions too!

[Paulottie]

Overwintered onions often bolt if there is a check to their growth and particularly in a dry season. I have had a few go but not many this year. Dobby is right that they won't store so use em up. Snadger said in another thread on this that they don't continue to swell even if you snap off flower(I can't remember so I have left a couple in as an experiment)But then it is main crop onions that are principally stored for winter. I think they are great as they free the ground up for a follow on crop loads of onions throuh the autumn and I like using the land in the winter.

One advantage of main crop sets over seed is that they don't tend to get onion fly.