Onions-What am I doing wrong?

[Susiebelle]

It's happened again!
I harvested my over wintering onions - Buffallo, Keepwell & Senshu, all grown from seed - they were of good size, nice and firm, tops died back really well.  This year because it was so wet I placed them in my raised cold frames leaving the lids ajar for air circulation (last yr I put to dry in the g/house on staging  like TG's pics) I sorted through yesterday and most have this soft neck thingie some quite bad with very few capable of being stored.
It happens every year even though I try different methods of drying off, I just don't know why :( can anyone help?

[Susiebelle]

[plainleaf]

i always hang my onions to dry inside in cool basement in nylon stockings

[Jeannine]

Rather than lose them if they are too soft necked to store, peel them freeze them, they chop well when still frozen and are perfect for all uses except fresh. You can pre chop them if you prefer


XX Jeannine

[Susiebelle]

Thanks for your thoughts, I am sure it has something to do with the way I am 'drying off' so will have to try the tights method next year. I didn't realise onions could be frozen without blanching so I will give that a go today thanks Jeannine.

[Tee Gee]

This year because it was so wet I placed them in my raised cold frames leaving the lids ajar for air circulation

Did you lay them on their sides or upside down?

I find hanging them upside down and allowing gravity to work on them soon dries them out!

In particularly wet years I partially cut the tops off prior to doing this.

I leave a stem of about 4"-5" on them! (Why dry the rest of the leaves?)

A simple way of doing this is grip the onion stem in your fist with the heel of the hand touching the bulb,then cut the stem off just above the index finger and thumb (beats measuring)

This method also allows sufficient stem to string them up when dry!

I am not saying this is the best or only way of doing this task! but it works for me!

[laurieuk]

Is it possible you are feeding them rather late in the season with a high nitrogen , feed rather than a high potash. This can stop them from ripening well.
Laurie

[Jeannine]

They would only grow black if you defrosted them and left them out in the sir for a long time I think. I have never had it happen so I am guessing really xX Jeannine

[Allotment-junkie]

i would also like to use tights like jeannine to store my onions, Anyone now where they sell tights for Centipedes as the wife has got about 6 to 800 Stuttgart's on the go , last year we got the dreaded Downy Mildew one chap on our site who as been doing it for 30 + years told us to burn them as he had the same the previous 2 years and lost the lot, But we did what TG is suggesting reduced the stems hung them upside down and low and behold we were still eating our Onions until April this year

[Susiebelle]

I only ever feed with a high nitrogen early in the growing season and have never used a potash feed on onions or leeks so that's another thing I have got wrong but will correct next year.
Thanks TG I have printed and will keep on file - I have definitely got to do better.
TG I have found your method for spring sown onions where do I find your method for winter grown onions?

[Tee Gee]

TG I have found your method for spring sown onions where do I find your method for winter grown onions?

Here;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Onions%20%28Japanese%29/Japanese%20Onions.htm

[grawrc]

Does that mean you sowed next year's onions last week TG? I usually sow them in August.

[Tee Gee]

Does that mean you sowed next year's onions last week TG? I usually sow them in August.

In normal circumstances Yes I would have done, but this year I have tried them a month earlier.

I have bought a new variety (Kings-Keepwell) which only says over wintering onions and the instructions on the packet states; sow directly into the ground in mid August thinning out as required.

I don't like this method of growing/sowing so I sowed in cells then pricked them out into 3" pots with the intention to plant out mid August when I get back from my holidays!

Had a look at them this morning and they are looking well!

In fact I have the feeling that when I do get round to planting out they will look like miniature setts.

Fingers crossed I might get some decent onions next spring because the ones (setts) I grew this year were a disaster.

So like with my summer onions I have kicked setts into touch!

[Susiebelle]

Many thanks TG