Allotments 4 All

Hello
is it better to leave japanese onions in the ground or to dig them out and dry them ? I share our lottie with a neighbour and someone suggested to her to bend the stems over which she has done. will they be OK if we just pull them out as we need them?
Emma

I pulled up a small red Japanese onion on Thursday and had it on a salad, it was very nice. just enough for two people.

Ken.

Don't believe everything (anything?) allotment 'someones' say! I think bending the stems over on any type of onion is seen as a bit of a no-no these days because it can let in rot...

As for drying Japanese onions: it's probably not worth the hassle because they don't store for more than a month or so...We just eat them 'out of the ground' so to speak...

Thanks that does make sense, lots of people walk their dogs by our allotments so we do get all sorts of advice! But also some free leeks yesterday so shouldn't grumble.

I know people say they don't store well, but I stored mine last year (the ones that were rot free) up until Christmas.  Use the flowering or damaged ones first, but any that are a good size, dry well in the sun, clean the soil off the roots, then store them somewhere cool and dry.  I cannot grow maincrop onions thanks to white rot, so rely on Japanese onions, both red and white skinned.  In fact, I am just about to place my order for this September!

yes, agree with above, onions will bend over all by themselves when they're good and ready, and Japanese onions will keep for 4 or 5 months no problem so long as they are in good condition

I've just read an article in 'grow your own' magazine on growing japanese onions from seed.  has anyone tried this and which varieties do you recommend?! :)

I agree japanese onions dont keep as long as tradional ones... but if you dry them out well they should keep for 2 to 3 month's.

I always bend (and twist) mine over - and never had any problems with rot. I always bend them over so that the tops are pointing north (ish) - that way the sun can get at the onion and the bend really well and help dry them out.

On the storage point, I think storage conditions would have to spot on to get a good long term result. Overwintering onions seem much more, well, watery ('aqueous'??) than maincrop ones...

QuoteI've just read an article in 'grow your own' magazine on growing japanese onions from seed.  has anyone tried this and which varieties do you recommend

If you're referring to overwintering onions, rather than bunching onions, I wondered about this too: eventually found Buffalo F1 sold by T&M. Direct sow in August apparently. Will give it a go this year.

Yes, i'd seen buffalo F1 too.  i wondered if there were any varieties that people had tried and recommended.

Hi fbgrifter,
                   I have grown radar overwintering onions this season, they grew well needed no attention (except a bit of weeding) & are now nearly the size of a tennis ball,  we have been digging them as we need them for the last 4 weeks,  they cook  very well. I would definitely recommend them.

                                                   Adrian.

Were they from seed, Adrian? If so where did you buy them?

Hi terrace max, :D
                               They were from sets brought from Dobies, £1.95 including postage. Same price this year (just got the new catologue).

                                 Adrian.