Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Rangerkris on May 24, 2010, 07:21

Title: Onion gone to seed
Post by: Rangerkris on May 24, 2010, 07:21

Should i just pull them up and plant something else?

Title: Re: Onion gone to seed
Post by: Coach on May 24, 2010, 07:24

Break the flower heads off!!!

Title: Re: Onion gone to seed
Post by: Rangerkris on May 24, 2010, 07:35

Ok will they get bigger than they are now still.  What might have caused them to go to seed.

Title: Re: Onion gone to seed
Post by: JayG on May 24, 2010, 07:48

The bulbs will still grow but will have thicker necks having thrown up a flower head and will not keep for very long.

Various kinds of stress to the plant will make it decide that it's time to reproduce itself; unfortunately this can be excessive cold followed by heat, or drought (say no more!)

Some varieties are more prone to bolting than others; some sets are heat-treated to try and reduce this tendency but it's not foolproof.

I concentrate on shallots these days, because although they can also bolt they don't seem to do so as much as onions, and are also much more expensive to buy in the shops.

Title: Re: Onion gone to seed
Post by: Rangerkris on May 24, 2010, 08:26

At the moment they are looking like over sized spring onions, will try some when at plot today and remove seed head. If they taste ok i will bring some home and have for tea  :D