[Ivor Backache]

I always grow onions from seed but when I came across two bags of Japanese onion sets for 50p in a sale I thought why not. I have not tried this variety before.
So I sat them on a bed of compost and they all germinated very well and over winter they developed into plants with leaves of 6".
I transplanted them into the allotment today and noticed that the bulb had become hollow. I had to hold the plant by the leaves because the set was just outside leaves.
Clearly all the food reserve had gone into the leaves and roots.
Is this what normally happens with these sets, and can I expect a crop of onions?

[gobs]

I have grown them, but never trasplanted them. It only depends, what you mean by hollow. Some outer layers of onion bulbs always keep decaying.

Have you got a bulb?

[leeks r us]

Tried them before ivor however put them straight in the ground in autumn and got a reasonable crop not very big onions but mild and good for the pot.
are all the bulbs the same?

[DD.]

Yep, straight in in October. Forget them!

[JohnB47]

I always grow onions from seed but when I came across two bags of Japanese onion sets for 50p in a sale I thought why not. I have not tried this variety before.
So I sat them on a bed of compost and they all germinated very well and over winter they developed into plants with leaves of 6".
I transplanted them into the allotment today and noticed that the bulb had become hollow. I had to hold the plant by the leaves because the set was just outside leaves.
Clearly all the food reserve had gone into the leaves and roots.
Is this what normally happens with these sets, and can I expect a crop of onions?

Yep, same thing happened to me and surprised me too, although I planted mine out in late September. The next spring I thought someone had replaced them with leeks - the bulb part had disappeared.

All normal it transpired. They will bulb up normally later in the year.

Cheers.

[Ivor Backache]

Thank you for all the replies. Here are the answers.

It only depends, what you mean by hollow. Some outer layers of onion bulbs always keep decaying.
Have you got a bulb?

There's only the outer leaves left! and no there is no bulb left. To look at them you would say there's nothing wrong with them

are all the bulbs the same?

Yes they are all the same.

Yep, straight in in October. Forget them!

I keep the same onion bed each year because of white rot and it wasn't ready.  Besides I start shallots off in this way. Incidentally they are fine. Transplanted some as well and they were solid.
I shall leave them to see what will happen. I get the impression from the replies that this should not be happening.
Just seen JohnB47's reply. Thank you.

[leeks r us]

strange in it probably happens to them all but with some of us planting them straight to soil we havent noticed, got some japanese onions in myself cant think of the strain just now, however i will pull a couple next time i am at the plot and get back to you.

[BabbyAnn]

All bulbing plants lose their bulbiness when growing - it's the food source for the growing leaves and roots.  It's perfectly normal    Come May, they'll start to expand quite rapidly - I kept a weekly photographic journal when I first got my allotment plot and the difference each week was amazing.

[leeks r us]

Ivor youre right pulled two onions at the plot today and sure enough no bulb, learn something new every day is the term i think.

[gobs]

'There's only the outer leaves left! and no there is no bulb left. To look at them you would say there's nothing wrong with them'

This is contradictory. If there is no bulb, how would you say, there is nothing wrong with them and what are you planting up, leaves?

They are just fine, most likely, as per Ann.

[Ivor Backache]

'There's only the outer leaves left! and no there is no bulb left. To look at them you would say there's nothing wrong with them'

This is contradictory. If there is no bulb, how would you say, there is nothing wrong with them and what are you planting up, leaves?

They are just fine, most likely, as per Ann.

I agree it is a contradiction -hence the question. They were bought in November and had a mild climate and they have grown very well. They were frozen solid  two weeks ago. It was when I transplanted them that I realised the 'bulb' was hollow even though it had kept its shape.
Because other people have submitted supportive remarks, I will leave them to grow, and see what happens. The point of growing them is to get early onions before the main crop.
Thank you for the replies. I have learnt something new as well.

[gavinjconway]

Normal for this to happen.. The stalk has to grow before it can turn into a big onion and bulb properly..