Onions

[JoeCocker]

My white onions look ready to lift, should they be stored for eating, and if so how and where

[JoeCocker]

[antipodes]

I either leave mine on the ground for a couple of days to dry out, or on palettes in the shed, then I cut off the stems, and trim the roots a bit and put them in nets, like for commercial onions. You can also store them in layers in flat boxes. Keep them cool and dry.

[Tee Gee]

I agree with antipodes!

Most years however I just put them straight onto to the slatted bench as seen here;



Then when they have dried I tidy them up and string them up like this;



ps; Its seems a bit early to be picking onions ??? have the tops died back ?

[chriscross1966]

If they're overwintering then they could well be dying down now, it's a b it early for the summer ones to be havested yet...

chrisc

[JoeCocker]

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful. The tops appear to be falling over, so i assume their ready?

[davyw1]

leave them till they have gone all the way over.

[TISH]

As a first time onion grower I am a bit confused about when an onion is ready. A lot of mine have 'flopped over' (same with the shallots) but the leaves are still green. One of the oldies on my plot said that I disturbed their growth by weeding too close to them and that they wouldn't grow anymore.

I am also wondering if the flopping was caused by lack of water - gave my overwintering onions several good soakings as oppossed to regular waterings and ended up with a lot of mouldy/split bottoms. I may have gone too much the other extreme with these spring onions, since I clearly overwatered the winter ones.

Does a flopped over onion still grow? How much water is the right amount of water?

[compo49]

My onions Jet Set-Centurion-Hercules have fallen over about two weeks ago but i think it is down to the heat we had and maybe shortage of rain/water even though i watered as best i could.

As you say its a bit early for them to be ready and the tops are still green do think they are still OK?

I read some were about giving onions some form of feed to bulb them up i think ! is it right and what type of feed?

[chriscross1966]

Tomato feed is good, the potash helps them harden up their skins...

chrisc

[laurieuk]

Autumn planted sets should be ready now or in the near future. Once the tops have gone over leave them for a few days then just lift them a bit with a fork to finish off ripening. I Tie mine and hang them up from the shed roof but as long as plenty of air can get round them they will be ok. If any went to seed use them first as they will not keep.

[Tee Gee]

The tops appear to be falling over, so i assume their ready?

Not necessarily! The top growers will support their stems with rings to keep them vertical.

If the leaves are still mainly green leave them and allow the bulb to enlarge a bit more!

You could consider supporting them but watch you don't pierce the bulb when doing so!

[antipodes]

I have just harvested mine that were planted in February. I have had a fantastic harvest, 3 great boxes full! But it is warmer here... Mine were flopped over and yellowing, some stems had died quite a bit. I am very happy with their size, many are fist-sized! 
A good year for alliums, to make up for the cra***y potatoes  ;D