Overwintering onions going to seed

[Martin H]

In the last week, about half of my overwintering onion sets - "Senchyu Yellow" and "T&M First Early" - have decided to send up flower spikes.



I'm kind of disappointed, I've not tried to grow these before and so I've kept a watchful eye over them all winter.

Do you think it's because of the unusual weather this winter, or something else?

And, what now? I've snapped off the flower spikes, should I leave them to swell a bit more before chopping and freezing them, or will they not grow any more now?

[buddy of maidstone]

They should grow more they just won't keep well,use those ones first


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[solway cropper]

I've lost a couple of the overwintered ones to bolting but then I usually do. As buddy says, they'll be fine to eat, they just won't keep.

Most of my maincrop 'keepers' are grown from seed as they tend not to bolt as much as those from sets.

[Two_Sheds]

In the last week, about half of my overwintering onion ... have decided to send up flower spikes.

yes, they always do: it's because of fluctuating temps, ie. having a cold snap following a warm spell. I'm pulling up my bolters, slicing & freezing them.

[BertieFox]

You can't beat the weather and autumn onions are easily fooled into thinking spring is here, then winter has arrived, and so finally it is time to flower. All onions are biennial so a warm period followed by cold followed by more warm fools them into thinking it is already their second year. Pulling off the flowers once they have started to go to seed will do no good in saving them as decent onions, though you can still eat the leaf and bulb before it goes too woody.

In fact, I've just been harvesting some onion flowers, which are delicious stir fried, or even eaten raw! Make the most of what you have got!