Walla Walla Onions

Thu May 14, 2009 2:07 pm

Well here is what DH and the boys planted because I love onions well I have never grown them

Any help is appreciated please. Do they look ok I mean the stick or chive or what ever the green is called is huge they where like inch long. How do I tell if I need to pick something LOL sorry all the ? but my kids gave me early mothers day gift a garden and i don't think it is big enough lol

Thu May 14, 2009 5:07 pm

The nice thing about growing onions is that they are useable and tasty at any stage of their development. You can eat them when they are small as green onions, or wait until they make a bulb. If you are going for bulbs they need 4 or 5 inches of space so there is room for the bulb to grow.

Enjoy your garden.

Thu May 14, 2009 6:14 pm

ok well I might have to remove the onions then. I feel bad because the kids worked so hard on the garden and it was not big enough for everything they have planted there. I will have to see about moving to the side of the yard. They have been in the ground for 4-5 weeks how big do ya think one might be so incase I have to redo them

Thu May 14, 2009 9:53 pm

Well I may be mistake, but my understanding was that once they start to turn yellow/brown (and it looks like some of those are), they are done growing. I usually plant mine every 2 inches and then pick every other one as a green onion so that the others have room to form bulbs.

Thu May 14, 2009 10:18 pm

these have been in ground 4 wks they where little bulbs

Thu May 14, 2009 10:53 pm

they are almost double in size that was about it. I pulled one and am using it in the dinner now. If am correct the green stalk is chive am using it

Fri May 15, 2009 3:29 am

Those onions are nowhere near done growing. They are just getting started. They may grow for another two months. When the tops tip over and start to dry up, then they are done growing.

The green things are the leaves of the onion. Yes, it is edible too.

Chives is another variety of the onion family.

Fri May 15, 2009 2:04 pm

My son took the green wash good and then chopped it up on his potato and sid it was really good added kick LOL so at least I got somewhat of a winner

Fri May 15, 2009 2:17 pm

My onions have been in the ground since early February. I planted very close and have been taking out for green onions since about the first of April. The ones remaining will make the bulbs for storage onions. Here is a pic of them now, or part of them. I have 8 rows.

Rebecca

Fri May 15, 2009 3:37 pm

I would love that many onions I love them. No clue how to store for later use so I can save for the winter where it is freezing here. Lovly picture how big are your bulbs and the tall green onion steam how big so I can get an idea of when to pull one. It is May 15th here I was going to pull june 15th and see. I had them put in the ground April 13th they where like size of a marble. Next week temp plans to be 90 which is alot warmer then it usually is

My spinach bolted already very depressing.

Fri May 15, 2009 8:15 pm

The largest bulbs are now roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and the stems about a foot tall. You pull onions either for green (scallions), or leave them in UNTIL THE STEMS (LEAVES) START TO TURN BROWN AND FALL OVER. Those will be your storage onions. You will store these in a DRY cool enviornment, braid the tops and hang them somewhere. They will last as long as they last, usually until they're all gone. Yum yum!

Rebecca

Fri May 15, 2009 8:41 pm

ok i will wait another month and see from there. My stems are long but not that long LOL the tops are brown some are like limped over lol

Sat May 16, 2009 11:40 am

They won't be ready in a month, IMHO. At least not fully grown. But as has been stated, onions are versatile and can be eaten @ almost any stage of their growth. Just play it by ear. Next year, get them in earlier if you want large, tasty, homegrown storage onions with lots of greenies in the meantime.

Good luck!

Rebecca

Sat May 16, 2009 1:37 pm

How long do you think they will store.. They can get really expensive here in the winter it is why I want to get them going alos I love them

My kids do also which makes it great. Ok I talked to DH we will wait till July and go from there and next year we are going to put them in the ground in March. We bought this with little bulbs hoping in 60 days to have a onion but I guess need to wait 90

I can wait I think

Sat May 16, 2009 3:13 pm

Well, mine store until we eat them all! :lol:

Seriously, they'll keep well for 2-3 months if you put them in a DRY atmosphere, braid the tops and hang them so they aren't piled up, which invites the ROT.

Also might want to do a little online research about long-day and short-day varieties.

Rebecca