Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: yodapete on May 31, 2008, 07:58

Title: onions going to seed
Post by: yodapete on May 31, 2008, 07:58

Hello all,
I planted a few rows of onions last year to overwinter.  They all seemed to be doing well after the birds stopped pulling them up but our crazy weather this year seems to have caused havoc with them and most seem to be putting up flower stems and going to seed.  Can I lift them and use them now or will they be destined for the compost heap.
Cheers
Yoda

Title: onions going to seed
Post by: compostqueen on May 31, 2008, 08:47

mine are too I noticed yesterday.  Let them grow on. I take the seed tip off but I don't think it makes much, if any, difference  :D   They'll be edible, might have a core in the middle but you can eat the gone to seed ones first

Title: onions going to seed
Post by: yodapete on May 31, 2008, 20:38

Thanks for the info.  I should have checked the rest of the posts, seems like lots of people are having the same problems as well.
Cheers
yoda

Title: onions going to seed
Post by: gobs on May 31, 2008, 21:22

Quote from: "yodapete"

Thanks for the info.  I should have checked the rest of the posts, seems like lots of people are having the same problems as well.
Cheers
yoda

So they seem to... I don't, smug. Shall mind this soon, I'm sure. :lol:  :lol:

Title: onions going to seed
Post by: Teen76 on June 01, 2008, 00:20

I think overwintering types are notorious for doing this.

I've been checking out me RHS book and it says two main causes for bolting are exposure to low temperatures at a certain growth stage (often induced by a cold, late onset of spring) which induces flowering, and the other reason is excessively dry soil conditions.

Their only recommendation is to grow bolt resistant varieties.