[m1ckz]

hello all..i put onion sets in the autum,,a few have got seed pods,,the rest are starting to droop to the ground,,,any ideas  T Y,,,,

[Eatyourgreens]

Onion sets are used by people who haven't got a long enough growing season to get large Onions in one year.

You (Well the set producers) start off with seeds in the late spring of year and stop the growing season to produce small bulbs/sets.
 
Then you as the end user start the sets off in spring for a crop of Onions in the Autumn.

You have grown them a bit out of sequence and they have done what comes naturally and set seed, and are now as far as they are concerned finished their life, what are the bulbs like, do they look usable?


Bob

[DD.]

Errrr, sorry Bob. Not so.

Maybe you've not come across winter or "Japanese" onions. The sets are planted in Autumn as the poster says. Mine are starting to swell nicely now.

If they've flopped over, it hopefull means they are about ready for harvesting and nothing more serious. How big are they? Being further south you will be ahead of me.

[Aunt Sally]

The leaves on my autumn planted onions are beginning to yellow.  I'm expecting them to fall over soon.

[SG6]

I have never managed to get any onion to grow and remain upright. The japanese onions I planted last October have grown well and every one is on the ground. All green and seem to be fine.

Previous years I have planted sets in spring and these also never stood upright.

If there is a way of getting them to grow sort of vertically then I would like to know.

[Eatyourgreens]

Maybe you've not come across winter or "Japanese" onions.

You are right, never heard of them, but then I do live on an island where anything other than Cabbage, Swede and Tatties is considered exotic 

But apart from them I was right !!!!!

Must buy a more up to date gardening book other than "Your kitchen Garden" by George Seddon and that is me newest one!!

Bob

[m1ckz]

well thanx everyone,,,the onions are mostly about 2 inches across,,some smaller,,but yes there usable,,but i was expecting them to get bigger,,wonder what will happen if i cut them down an leave them,,,,,,ill sow sets in spring next year  ha haaaaaaa,,you live an learn,,,,everything else looks good,,i have brussels up to about a foot high,,been eating radish calour,,,how i love growing those,,lettuce too are ready,,,beetroot 4 inches,,,runner beans 4/5 foot,,with flowers on,,,ect,,,ect,,,,

[SG6]

Don't cut them, just let them grow, even if horizontal.

Nothing in the rules that says they have to be vertical, well I cannot find it if there is. Even if there were my onions cannot read so it would make no difference.

Onions will start to swell as the length of daylight alters.

[DD.]

Certainly don't cut them, but having flopped over due to old age, they won't grow any more.

[Trillium]

They won't, but if left in the ground they'll put out new growth to put up a seed stalk. Had that happen 2 years ago...30 onions started going to seed on me