Red onions when to harvest and how big??

[BarbaraGood]

I have some that are looking really healthy in the foliage dept, but rising out of the ground - stupid question - do you earth them up or is it supposed to happen?

Also they are about 2"-3" across, I planted them first week in April, but have lost the packaging to tell me what variety they are and how long to leave them til harvesting  ::)

[BarbaraGood]

[tuinman]

Once they are ready the foliage will wither, while this is happening remove the ground surrounding the onions so the sun can get at them

[kenkew]

Don't earth them up...that's a potatoe and celery thing. Onions do tend to push there way up as the roots push down. In the first week or two its ok to gently push them back but larger onions will suffer root damage if you try pushing them back in. So long as the rootsare still in the ground, all's well. As to when to harvest, if your crop is healthy, leave them until the tops start to die off and wilt over. Lift then and if possible, leave outside to dry but bring them inside at night.
I hang mine, stalks down, through a 1 metre square 2" mesh. When fully dry I string them.

[BarbaraGood]

Brilliant thank you both, will leave them be save the two my toddler decided to "show" me  ;D
Now to hunt something down to hang them in!

[Rosyred]

What do people feed there onions mine are starting to get bigger last week they were the size of a hazelnut.

[cornykev]

As said above, I move the earth away so the onions can bask in the sun,if we get much that is.  8) 8) 8) ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

I just noticed today that my OK ones are putting on weight fast.