[shokkyy]

I've grown onions, shallots and garlic this year. The shallots have been lying down for a couple of weeks but I haven't pulled them up yet because the leaves still look green. Some onions are down (and have been for a while) but others not, leaves still green, and ditto the garlic.

Is it best to lift them as soon as the leaves start lying down, or will I get larger bulbs if I leave them until the leaves turn brown? I'm not in any rush to lift them and I'd like them to be as big as possible. Is there a disadvantage to leaving them in longer?

[Jamie Butterworth]

How big are they at the moment?

[shokkyy]

They seem to vary quite a  bit. Some of the garlic looks a decent size, but others quite small and the small ones don't seem to be split into cloves yet. Some of the onions have worked their way up to the surface and look a reasonable size but others are still under and don't look very big at all. The red shallots mostly look a decent size and mostly quite proud of the soil but the golden shallots still seem quite small. People always seem to say you should lift when the foliage lies down, which a lot of mine has, but to me it seems they need longer to finish growing.

Would it cause any problems if I just left everything in until the leaves actually start turning brown? I'm not in any particular rush for the space.

[Terrier]

Hi shokkyy, I've opted to lift my garlic. A few days ago, they were standing up and the leaves looked as though they had plenty of life left in them, but the wind and heavy rain in the last few days has left a bit of a mess. I'm worried if I left them in the ground they might start to rot. The onions on the other hand still look as if they can stand up to the weather, so they're staying put for the moment.

[Jamie Butterworth]

Id say to just use your own judgment, if you think that their full size and ready then pull them and let them dry, if you think they need a little longer, give them a little longer, play it by ear

[Ivor Backache]

Some of the onions have worked their way up to the surface and look a reasonable size but others are still under and don't look very big at all.  People always seem to say you should lift when the foliage lies down, which a lot of mine has, but to me it seems they need longer to finish growing.

Would it cause any problems if I just left everything in until the leaves actually start turning brown? I'm not in any particular rush for the space.

If the onion leaves have started to go brown at the tips there is not much you can do. If they are still green then stake them to keep them upright. Food is generated in the leaves and passes down for storage in the bulb. I have had my bulbs staked now for a month and have seen a increase in the size of the bulbs. I have now taken the stakes away.