Topic: why are my onions so small

[jazzidoodle]

hi guys i have been watching in the shadows learning as i went. I have now built ty enough courage to ask why my onions are not much bigger than when they went in!  those that are have bolted i fed then this year and cv least i have some last year they all disappeared 

[davyw1]

Did you try watering them, Rake in fertilizer prior to planting.

[jazzidoodle]

hi yes i watered religiously and fed growmore tell you they look more like spring onions

[artichoke]

Mine are tiny because I couldn't water them. I have had excellent onions other years, but it has just been too dry. Some are medium small, some have barely developed since I put them in as sets. Better luck next year.

Had to dig up an elephant garlic to cheer myself up. They seem to grow huge whatever the weather.

[manicscousers]

when did you put them in, autumn or spring, our overwinter are bigger than the spring sown  :)

[jazzidoodle]

thats very likely why then. I planted early march i lost the lot last year when i planted in autumn. Oh well as you said there's always next year!

[caroline7758]

My red onions are really small too- think it must be the dry weather. :(

[pigeonseed]

My red onion sets are also only slightly bigger than than when they went in ... Well, some of them even look the same! And my overwintering sets were fine.

So it could be the weather didn't suit them this year.

But as you have not had luck two years in a row, Jazzidoodle, I wonder if there's anything you can do.

Did you keep them well weeded?

Could there possibly be some issue with the balance of nutrients in your soil? I know absolutely nothing about that side of things! But if you've tried to change everything else, could that be something which is stopping the onions growing or taking on water?

[davyw1]

If you put them in,  in March then they should have a canny bulb on them by now, How often where you watering, i don't think you should let them go more than a week without water as an onion uses one inch of moisture week ans as thet are short rooted they will struggle after that.
If the tops are looking healthy then try a bit more water there is still plenty time for them to fill out.

[Tee Gee]

I am guessing they are from setts and it could be a multitude of things that has caused this,not least dodgy setts!

I have avoided growing setts this year and I am growing from seed and they are coming along nicely.

I have had trouble myself over the previous couple years and crops were not as good as I had in previous years

Having said that a neighbouring plot holder gave me a dozen or so setts she had spare ( some red some white)and these too are coming on not too badly but not as good a the seed onions in the same bed.

I never used to feed mine other than the top dressing of FB&B I gave them at planting out time.

Sometimes I would give them a high potash feed once they started swelling but not before!

The most important thing is never to let them dry out once they have started into growth,as this may stunt the growth or indeed stop it altogether!



Can you supply us with a bit more detail on how you have grown yours,that is; planting time,variety,type of soil etc.

[caroline7758]

From what's been said I don't think I've watered mine enough, and now the weeds are taking over as well. Think I'll dig them up today and write them off and treat them better next year!

[cornykev]

My Jap winter ones were the best ever, however there was a few that suffered rot on the bottom.
My Spring sown are rubbish, most of them are no bigger than a golf ball and all the greenery has died off.
Quite a few have rot on the underneath, but most look healthy just small.
When they start their growing life they like to be weed free and as they are bulbing up the weeds are a benefit taking unnecessary nitrogen from the soil.
I let the weeds get a bit out of hand early on and I think I disturbed some of them when weeding but I definately didn't disturb the whole crop.
Water early on to get them going and then I only water once a week if they are dry, so they can get some good roots on them.
What went wrong this year I don't know maybe a dodgy batch.       :-\
 :'( :'( :'(

[Robert_Brenchley]

I planted mine in March, mulched, but didn't water. They're a mixed bunch as always, but there are a fair number of nice-sized bulbs. I've noticed the size increasing with time, as I improve the soil. The best onions I ever grew were planted over a load of goat manure.

[Digeroo]

I have one set that are great and one set rather small.  (Both spring sown) I have put mine down to a lack of water and a lack of weeding.  I do not believe that hoeing is good for onions so I tend to put the weeds by hand but is has been so dry they have been difficult to remove.  Though I thought I had watered them well when I dug them up the soil was dry six inches down. 

For the first time ever my overwintering ones have been the best.

My allotment is on a slope and I seem to need a great deal more water at the top.

[jazzidoodle]

thanks all for your advice. I think i an going to put it down to weather conditions or soil hopefully next year in a different spot with different weather I will do better.

[aj]

thanks all for your advice. I think i an going to put it down to weather conditions or soil hopefully next year in a different spot with different weather I will do better.

They only went in in March, so they've only had 16 weeks

Give them a root veg feed [high in phosphorus] water it in and then leave them be. They might bulk up a bit by the end of the summer.

[hyacinth_1]

mine are small too I never water them.  Any idea what I can put in the ground when I lift the onion (for next year I mean) I read that you don't put onions in year after year in the same spot. ;D

[small]

Don't give up yet.....my spring sown sets have only started to bulk up in the last week. They won't be enormous I guess, but I don't see why they shouldn't store as well if I leave them to mature fully.

[plainleaf]

i would hit them with a High nitrogen fertilizer since onion are more like leafy veg then root veg. my seed vendor is usually right on stuff like this.

[muddylou]

My Onions have been hit and miss again this year, some large almost overgrown and others tiny weak little things with some in between. I put it down to my not improving the soil properly. I'm in London with clay soil, last weekend I visited my Mother in South Shields who's house backs on to some allotments, naturally I took a look, only to see dark, moist, rich looking soil with huge white onion bulbs (all a regular size ) with healthy strong looking top growth. The contrast between the different colours was marked. I'm definitely going to try and improve my soil this year.