Taiji
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Green onion not going to seed?

onion phenom.JPG
I've grown green onions just from onion sets in the bag for many years, but in the last 2 or 3 years have noticed something different going on. They don't seem to want to go to seed anymore. Has anyone else noticed this? It used to be that it was a race to get them all pulled and used up before they went to seed. Now, they seem to just get a bigger and bigger bulb.

I guess this is the best of both worlds, use them as green onions or wait and let them get big. Maybe some new GMO thing going on?

imafan26
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My green onions don't look like that, but I do have multiplier onions that are not supposed to bloom and a couple of years ago, I thought they were going to die, the tops dried and the bulbs started to grow bigger. I lost a few but the rest survived. I grow negi (Japanese onions) the leaves are thin and it does not make a bulb. I think green onions and scallions are interchangeable words. When the leaves get thick it is usually going to bloom. Green onions will usually bloom in their second year, but if old ones and younger ones are planted together then even the younger ones will start to bloom.

I grow my bulbing onion (Texas granex) from seed in October or November and will harvest May or June.

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jal_ut
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I have always grown large onions from the sets. If I want green onions it is best to plant onion seed directly in the garden. This will make loads of green onions. If let to grow full season the seed onions make walnut sized bulbs in this area.

Also, you may want to try a few different varieties?

Taiji
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Hmmm, interesting. Might be a good idea to use seeds for green onions, will try that. Probably more cost effective too!

I have tried red onions, white onions and yellow. The first two just don't seem to do well here. The yellow onions I can always count on.

Imafan: My green onions don't usually look like that either til just a couple of years ago. These bulbs are approaching the size of those you would buy in bags in the supermarket. Formerly, they would just go to seed pretty quickly, and I'd pinch off the central stem which had the seed/flower pod in hopes the onion would grow longer. But they never grew this big before.

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jal_ut
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Image

Onions are day length sensitive and flower when the days are the right length. They are also a cool weather plant. Onions come in what is called short day, long day and intermediate day types. I have also heard of some that supposedly are not day length sensitive. Any how, the point is, that it is important to get the types that will do well in your area. Likely short day onions for you. You would plant early, February, and should have onions by mid May or so.

imafan26
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In Arizona depending on where you live you either grow intermediate or short day onions. I can only grow short day. My day length varies from around 11-14 hours. Only seeds are available to me, and I grow the ones recommended by the CTAHR Texas granex (Maui Onion variety) that is sweet the first two weeks after harvesting. Awahia is a red variety but it is hot; not sweet.

Taiji
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Yes, I know something is different with the onions not putting out a central seed/flower stalk and the bulbs getting so huge.

Thx for all the suggestions.

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jal_ut
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Onions are also biennial. From seed they usually won't flower the first year. If the bulb is grown the second year, they will likely make a flower. I plant small sets that I get from the garden store and about one in ten will flower. I suspect that most of the small sets are still thinking they are in their first season, but the larger ones bloom. For sure if you plant a large onion bulb it will flower. I just cut off the flowers soon as I see them, and they will usually make a good bulb.



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