Topic: Onions going to seed early

[lin]

I planted a lot of onions in autumn and they have been coming up beautifully, but the bulbs are not really big and suddenly I have noticed they are starting to develop flower heads on the top and I am in a panic... certainly don't want them going to seed yet... not till they get a bit bigger and ready to pull.

Someone has suggested I just take the sprout bit off that is developing a seed head/flower and that should do it... any reason why autumn planted onions should do this so soon? I have another lot in I planted early this year and they are still small so no probs with them yet.

This is the first time I have planted onions in Autumn... Lin

[cambourne7]

mine have done the same but i am just pulling them and eating them.

Also noticed that they necks are really thick

[Robert_Brenchley]

Pull the flower stalks off as low as possible, as soon as you see them, and use those bulbs first. There seems to be more of it in dry weather.

[isbister]

These are Japanese onions right? they're ready for pulling now, I doubt they'll get much bigger. My overwintering onions not much good this year - I've harvested the lot - out of a fifteen foot row I had only six good ones. I think that any onion with a thick neck won't store.

[Trevor_D]

It's probably this peculiar weather. They've had it very warm & very dry and are under stress, so they start to flower.

My onions seem OK, so far.... (I think I'll investigate them thoroughly when I go up this afternoon, having read this!) But exactly the same has happened to my over-wintered calabrese. It was planted out very early March, as usual. But it's already producing heads: this doesn't normally happen until late May/early June. And, of course, the plants are only half the size they ought to be at this stage, so the heads are tiny. Just like your onions, lin!

But yes, start eating them. Thick-necked bulbs won't store.

[Tora]

I went to my plot for the first time in 3 weeks and found my Silver Moon (? white autumn planting onions) was doing the same. Since I had read this topic before I went I cut the flowering stalks off. I'm very disappointed, as they all are doing it. :-\

On the other hand my Senshyu onions planted a bit later than Silver Moon were fine. Well, so far! ::)

[mr plasma]

same problem for me also with autumn planted onion sets, mine have thick necks and going to seed if i remove the flowering stem will the onion increase in size or is it as big as its going to get?

[cambourne7]

I am just pulling the onions as i need them.

Pulled 6 at the weekend and fryed them down to make a yummy flan.

Might look for another recipie i can use with my new jam pan :-)

[daisymay]

Most of ours have done this too... really are not very fat either - we thought they had another month to go yet! Gutted! They were Japanese onion sets - Radar I think.

In hindsight would watering them more often helped?

[cambourne7]

my japanese onions have not even got to small spring onion stage yet.

I am going to give them another feed this time with potash at the weekend to try and push them as chicken manure only gave them a small kick.

[daisymay]

oohhh feeding them too.... you are just spoiling them....  ;D We are so bad at feeding and watering stuff, survival of the fittest on our lottie!! will give them a feed at this week too... or at least will instruct my DH to as I am not allowed to play with chicken poo etc... at the minute!

[cambourne7]

the sites so windy i am hoping for a wind free min to actualy put the potash on

lets put it this way i got up to the site today about 10am, got out of the car to open the gate and i had to push the car door then try to catch it in the wind.

Gave up and have come home!

If i cant get a wind free moment by friday i have dug out old beach wind breaker which i am going to use to buy myself a few min.

[cornykev]

I've took all the flower heads off, smelt lovely now Cambournes eaten them I'll give them a go, and I have a lot of thick necks but they are not ready for harvesting yet the earliest will not  be ready untill the end of June.  ;D ;D ;D

[MattD]

My overwintered onions keep falling out of the ground if I give them the slightest tap while weeding.  The couple I cut open at the weekend look like they are getting ready to shoot too.

Is there any problem with mulching them with well rotted manure to cover the bulbs up?  Does it encourage them to flower or anything?

Matt

[allaboutliverpool]

The same has happened to me. I have already mulched them to retain moisture, but there was not much to retain. It really brings it home to you when things do not go right, that we nip to the supermarket to buy produce instead, whereas a subsistence farmer and his family just starve!

see my results on:-

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_onions.html

[lin]

Thanks for all those answers, really sorted the problem out... they were a Japanese variety and they do have thick stems, so I will start to pull and use them. They are not a bad size though, so not too unhappy.

But think I will check what other varieties can be planted in autumn, prefer a larger, storable variety!

At least I have another lot in that perhaps will thicken up for storing later in the year!! Onion soup here I come!! Lin