onions

[ken anderson]

should i bend the tops over to send more to the bulb rather than the tops?

[rustylady]

Hi Ken - welcome to the Vine.

Whereabouts are you and what onions are you growing?

Generally speaking it's not a good idea to bend the tops of onions over. The leaves are needed to grow the bulbs. They will fall of their own accord when their job is done.

[John Forman]

Please tell me more about growing red onions. Decided to grow some this year, along with white and spring onions. All went well, but part of the crop looks like it has been trampled on. Although i know this is not possible, i was wondering if it was something to do with the 2013 heatwave that we are having currently. I am watering most nights, and some of the crop has gone to 'seed'. Im wondering if it is possible that maybe my bulbs were not deep enough? Help needed !!

[rustylady]

Hello John Forman - welcome to the Vine.

Whereabouts are you, did you grow your onions from seeds or sets, and are they growing in containers or in open ground?

If you have a picture you could post that might help with advice too.

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine John & Ken, John, onions are drought tolerant so you don't need to water to the extent you say, I've not watered mine for weeks. The stalks will keel over on their own accord when ready, my reds (sets) are bolting but I'm just nipping the seed heads off.

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

I got to get and snip some too. Of mine, more white than red have bolted. None are impressive in size, but luckily its a minority at present.

[Potstubsdustbins]

It all depends on where you are growing your onions, in the ground or in containers, watering advice would be totally different in both cases.

I grow in pots and at this time of year and with the weather we are having I have to water every night.

Potty

[Two_Sheds]

should i bend the tops over to send more to the bulb rather than the tops?

No, that won't work like you think, and you may introduce damage & rot to the plants.

Please tell me more about growing red onions.

You grow them exactly the same as white/brown onions. No different.

the crop looks like it has been trampled on.

Yeah, they do look like that when they're mature: all the stalks/leaves are pale and dry, and collapsed

some of the crop has gone to 'seed'.

so you have flower spikes coming up from them? Cut the spikes off and eat the onions soon: they won't keep

[Two_Sheds]

should i bend the tops over to send more to the bulb rather than the tops?

No, that won't work like you think, and you may introduce damage & rot to the plants.

Please tell me more about growing red onions.

You grow them exactly the same as white/brown onions. No different.

the crop looks like it has been trampled on.

Yeah, they do look like that when they're mature: all the stalks/leaves are pale and dry, and collapsed

some of the crop has gone to 'seed'.

so you have flower spikes coming up from them? Cut the spikes off and eat the onions soon: they won't keep

[John Forman]

Thanks everyone for your help. I was worring about the red onions, and now joining here and talking to people who know makes it clearer to me. They were grown from sets (bulbs),and they have been planted in the ground. I have the 'flower spikes' and some are very tall, so ill get them up this week. Thanks.

[rustylady]

Don't dig them up John, just cut off the flower spikes. Ideally you should nip out the top of the flowering stem as soon as you see the flower bud.