Overwintering onions - when to harvest?

[SkyChild]

My Uncle gave me some onions sets and shallots to put in, Autumn last year.

So I dutifully did and am now left with the problem of not knowing when to harvest!

I would ask but he's in hospital just now and awaiting ANOTHER heart bypass so this is obviously not a priority for him.

I have no idea of the varieties, only that they are white onions and not red ones. They seem to be doing ok, they have leaves at least but are the bulbs meant to poke out of the top of the soil a little or is that when they get bigger?

[Nannysally99]

Looking forward to seeing the replies on this, I did the same last autumn

[Martin H]

They should now be growing green leaves. You won't see the bulb starting to form above ground for another month or so. They're ready to harvest when the leaves die off, around June.

[SkyChild]

Thank you

[Snadger]

Usually mature around 2 to 3 weeks before spring planted sets.....they won't keep though!

[Nannysally99]

Thanks Martin, why won't they keep Snadger?

[Snadger]

Thanks Martin, why won't they keep Snadger?

Good question Sally? I don't know really, maybe its the variety trait, maybe its because they are a biennial and will be entering there second year, maybe because they are usually harvested before they have matured?

Or maybe its a mixture of the above.

They usually won't keep through the winter though.

[Martin H]

Last year I ripened mine really carefully and they were ok until the end of the year but that's all.

[SkyChild]

That's ok, I'm not really sure how to store different veg yet anyway so would probably muck it up.
We'll probably use them up /give them away within a couple of weeks anyway