My abysmal onion harvest

[Marb67]

Well I have absolutely had it with trying when basicly everything goes wrong for me. Red onion sets planted in good soil, spaced apart, sunlight most of day and hardly any bigger, some the same size as the sets I planted.

I may as well have just ate the sets without planting them.

[Snadger]

At least they didn't run to seed!

My spring planted ones are similar but my Autumn planted red Japanese onions have been a lot better.

Red pickled onion anyone!

[Sandyp]

Mine were the same Marb, not sure why though, I keep meaning to research what went wrong, my neighbours plot has some huge onions, hopefully next year will be better for me the more I learn.

[Marb67]

If it's not onion fly it's something else. The foliage had been eaten but then again, in my tiny walled garden I get just about every pest going, with sparrows now added to the list. No chance of an allotment as 18 year waiting list. No chance of affording to move house with a bigger garden either.

[Snoop Puss]

Hi Marb, might you have picked them a bit early? They've got good long roots. I've noticed that when mine are ready for picking (leaves yellowing and flopped over), the roots are very short.

[Marb67]

It's onion harvesting time and no foliage on them so they won't grow anymore.

[damian1225]

onion harvesting time is dictated by when they went in, and when they are ready.. always wait till they flop over and look finished.. next year try and get netted cages or something to keep the birds off.. pigeons are my biggest enemy on my plot they literally take everything if i let them

Don't be put off though, have a look what went wrong, why it went wrong and what you can do next time to do better

[Snoop Puss]

Hi Marb, it looks as if your earlier post and mine crossed in the ether. I didn't see that the foliage had been eaten. If the foliage hadn't been eaten, I reckon the onions would have gone on for longer and grown bigger. No consolation, I know, as you're still left with tiny onions now. As a point of reference, some onions are ready for picking earlier than others. Not sure what variety you were growing, but none of mine are anywhere near the picking stage at the moment.