What are my onions doing?

[Green Gerkin]

Hi all. Planted stuttgarter sets back in early march. I'm trying to leave them in the ground as long as possible, but one of them is going a bit wierd - what is it doing? And can I leave it in the ground?




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[veggiechicken]

Its bolting - that's the flower bud. Dig it up and use it now.

[fishpond]

It is bolting, it will not keep.

[BUFFS]

half mine bolted and the rest are still small, not going to be a very good year for our onions......

[arpoet]

I have had 2 bad years for onions, but this year, in a well drained very sunny spot they are doing great.
My rules are,
Start the sets off in old compost in the greenhouse.
Prepare the ground and rake in BFB 2 weeks before planting out.
Plant out when conditions seem right,
Pinch out any flower heads before they form,
and feed with BFB just before it rains of you water them. Hos muck tea is good for growing onions.
Don't rush to harvest them but wait until the are all bent over and leaves starting to dry out.

[Kirk]

Planted onion sets for the last 5 years, one year I will get something that came be described as an onion from one of them.

Honestly would be more use to not buy the set and buy the same cost in onions from a supermarket.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm had a fantastic onion harvest this year, hardly any bolters. Bolting is caused by fluctuations in temperature. Our typical UK weather is warm then cold then warm again, which "confuses" the onion into thinking it's time to make seed.

This year we had no winter at all, just mild weather followed by warm, with lots of rain until early June. Perfect, optimal growing conditions.

[Shadylane]

Mine obviously didn't get the memo as most of them have bolted. Going back to seed next year and will just buy a few sets to fill the gaps. No where near enough onions this year.

[marcofez]

Mine obviously didn't get the memo as most of them have bolted. Going back to seed next year and will just buy a few sets to fill the gaps. No where near enough onions this year.

I'm with you Shadylane.

[Messi1986]

I had this problem last year so I decided not to grow them this year. I had never seen so many catapillars in my life. I broke off 4" of leaf and there was 5 in there so you can imagine how bad they were. I found some on my garlic this yeah as well but they were ok. If I find the pic I will upload it.

[chilli_grower]

My onions are doing fine, but some of the leeks have bolted.

[bootsnbraces]

Plant them earlier, i dont grow from sets anymore but i always used to put them out at the beggining of febuary straight into the ground with no protection and then left them be. Not many on our allotment could compete with the results! (and im not very good as this growing lark!)

[4390evans]

Devastated! All mine have done that! Think Ill be having a mass onion soup making if any is edible