Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: umshamrock on May 11, 2006, 08:50:45

Title: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: umshamrock on May 11, 2006, 08:50:45

Hi,

I planted some Japanese white onions in the fall. Some have started to send up flower shoots (I have broken the shoots off) and all have thick green foliage. I pulled one up yesterday, and though the bottom is large, there is no kind of thinnner 'neck'.  I mean, it doesn't look like a normal onion - a large bulb tapering to a thinner neck to where the leaves are.  Does the foliage on Japanese onions turn brown? The one i pulled yesterday looked weird, but tasted fine. Should I start eating now, or wait?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: Curryandchips on May 11, 2006, 08:54:14

Yes, you can start eating them now. They should continue to grow for a while, through June and into July. I only use overwintering onions as a supply of onions through the summer, relying on my maincrop for most of the year.

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 11, 2006, 08:54:40

Overwintering onions are usually ready around July

Are you from the USA?

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: umshamrock on May 11, 2006, 11:19:15

Thanks, guys. I am organic so it is so much cheaper to eat my food than to buy it! Curry, I have also planted maincrop onions this yea (I ate all of last year's long ago!). And, Merry, yes I am American but I live in Plymouth now.

Thanks for the help!

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: Curryandchips on May 11, 2006, 11:32:55

I agree with you on the 'organic' issue, but I much prefer eating my own vegetables anyway ...

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 11, 2006, 22:53:15

I find when onions start to bolt the necks go thick as they have the chunky flower stem running through the middle.  Those ones are okay, but they need using quickest.  My overwintering onions are still only about golf ball size so have a good 6 weeks growing ahead of them before I start pulling.  Shame as I am down to my last 4 leeks!

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: umshamrock on May 12, 2006, 11:56:56

Hmm...about half have bolted, so i'll use those first. Thanks!

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: marjrie on May 12, 2006, 15:17:03

I am still a bit confused here, do you wait for the green shoots to turn brown before using overwinter onions?  ???

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: growmore on May 12, 2006, 21:01:06

normally yes  but autumn sown sets are prone to bolting ,going to seed ..
A thick stem comes up from middle which would carry the flower and the seeds .So you break this off on the plants that do this ..You then use these first  as they would not  keep like a normal onion ...The ones that don't bolt,go to seed ,treat as normal .Let leaves go brown and die back for storing ..Cheers Jim

Title: Re: Japanese onions - when are they ready?
Post by: saddad on May 12, 2006, 21:27:15

If you catch the flower stem while it is still quite small you can geta nother couple of weeks growth out of them...
 ;D