[Robin Redbreast]

LAST YEAR I PLANTED  60 OR SO ONIONS JAPANESE, EVERY ONE OF THEM BOLTED WHAT ARE THE CAUSES FOR THIS?  AND CAN IT BE STOPPED ?

[andtiggertoo]

Does bolting mean they are flowering ?

I planted about the same number last autumn and I'm not a million miles away, I'm gonna hot foot it out and inspect mine !

You must be so disappointed 

[Robin Redbreast]

IT MEANS THEY WENT TO SEED AND GO REALLY woody i managed to salvage a few but you have to cut round the middle which is a pain in the rectal area! sorry about the typing caps lock was on

[Robin Redbreast]

still wanting ideas as to why this happens! anybody? :blink:

[SG6]

Probably not relevant but:
I grew Pak Choi last year, all went to seed.
Found out that as they are "tropical" they expect equal periods of day and night - 12+12.
It was our long day/short night summer that made them bolt.

That is one possibility but it shouldn't be relevant to Japanese onions.

I also have 50-60 Japanese onions in and all are smalland look to be progressing nicely, no sign of any going to seed. Planted then about Nov, which I thought may have been a little late.

When did yours go in?

Is the ground suitable for onions?

Plants will flower and fruit if stressed. They have the idea that they need to pass on their genetics quick if they may not make it in the normal cycle. So if the growing conditions are wrong then they may well go to seed. And don't ask me what the ideal conditions are for an onion, I have no idea. Mine go in the ground and if they grow then thats it, if they don't I usually don't try them again for a while.

Where did the Japanese onions come from?
What variety?

[pushrod]

still wanting ideas as to why this happens! anybody? :blink:

If they get too dry they are more likely to bolt and large heat treated sets are more likely to bolt than small ones.

[Aunt Sally]

John has written a bit about boulting onions of his main pages

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/onion-shallot/onion-problem-disease.php