Onion Failure

[Decado]

Sets are onions in their second year, when they are supposed to go to seed instead of bulbing,.... so they tend not to bulb well and often go to seed. That is why people have better luck getting big honking bulbs by either starting from seeds or buying bundles of seedlings. ...

Yep, you'll notice that the larger onion "bulbs" in the sets are usually the ones that will go to seed. I suppose that those got big enough, that they're convinced they are old enough to go to seed.
The smallest "bulbs" in the sets will usually not go to seed, and will grow into nice large onions (most of the time).

Hmm I planted the biggest sets with the biggest bulbs and I'm getting good sized onions with no bolting yet.

[farmerlon]

Hmm I planted the biggest sets with the biggest bulbs and I'm getting good sized onions with no bolting yet.

There are always variables!
You're a few zones North from me, so I suppose that could be a factor.

Just watch 'em ... if any decide to go to seed, it is usually the largest bulbs of the "sets".

[garden5]

I've heard the same thing about small sets vs. large ones. I planted mine the end of April and, so far, the biggest sets are making the biggest bulbs. But, it's still early so we will have to see. Still, I can't wait for some good onions.

[jal_ut]

I always plant plenty and start eating them early. Those new green onions are sooooooo good.

[TZ -OH6]

Variety and conditions will play a part in bolting vs not from sets. I am just on the border of Dixondales's line for long day vs intermediates, and I bought some sets of both candy (intermediate) and yellow onions (long day). Nearly all of the Candy are bolting except for the smallest ones. I planted all the largest bulbs of the Yellows, not knowing any better, and a few of them bolted, but most did not, and none of the smaller sets did. The candy were also planted in mud early in the season and didn't get a good start. The yellows were planted in the same soil (reworked) a bit later.

[gixxerific]

I've heard the same thing about small sets vs. large ones. I planted mine the end of April and, so far, the biggest sets are making the biggest bulbs. But, it's still early so we will have to see. Still, I can't wait for some good onions.

I know we have talked about his. But from what I read the smaller sets are less likely to bolt. The bigger ones may be getting big since they started that way but let's hope they don't bolt on you. Remember the sepreating them into dime, nickle, quarter, size. The smaller the better, at least from what I have read.

By the way G5 my onions started from seed have been given up on they have all died are are just not going anywhere at all.

[applestar]

My onions started from seeds are staring to fall over, as are some of the onions planted from sets. Some of the seed-grown ones are actually dime size. I wonder if there's any hope at all of keeping these until next spring....

[Ozark Lady]

I pulled all of my onions today. They were a little bit bigger than when I planted the sets, not much. No bolting, they just fell over dead. I found almost no roots, which is normal for me.

I read the link that Jal sent and I am amazed, onions actually have roots like that?

Wow, okay, just as well that I pulled them. Hopefully the zuchini that took their place will actually grow.

After over 30 years of trying, this is likely the best year ever for onions for me. Yep, the best,they are almost not quite boiling onion size!

I just can not grow root crops, particularly onions.

[jal_ut]

Do you like scallions? Perhaps you can grow some bunching onions from seed? Also egyptian onions may work for you. Neither of these bulb, but they will sure give you green onions if they will grow there.

[Ozark Lady]

I like green onions, and chives.
I have a bed full of egyptian onions. Either I don't know what to do with them, or I just don't like them.
I tried cooking with the green tops... yuck!
They grow really well. But for what purpose?
I am seriously thinking of removing them and freeing up some garden space. They seem to grow anywhere they fall, so I could just scatter some in the fencerow.
Does anyone have a recipe for using walking onions?

[garden5]

Apps, you said your onions are starting to fall over. Is the the entire plant, or just the leaves.

If it's just the leaves, don't worry, that's normal. When the leaves break over, their energy goes into the bulb. If the whole plant is falling over, that's another story.

[jal_ut]

Does anyone have a recipe for using walking onions?

I take the bulbils and plant them 3 inches deep. Very shortly afterwards you get nice green onions like these. You can use just the white portion or the greens too. The adult plants get tough and I don't like to use them at all--------as you said. Every time you dig some, plant a few more for continued production. You need to keep a clump or two for bulbil production, but the rest of the clumps can come out.

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/onion_eg_2.jpg[/img]

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/onions_eg_4.jpg[/img]

[Ozark Lady]

Wait a minute!
You plant the sets or bubils three inches deep?
Well, my word! I barely plant them deep enough to cover the sets, I thought that was how you do it?
I had some that were actually above ground.
Maybe, I just found the whole problem!

Here are photos of what the onions looked like, with alot of weeds growing in with them. I fertilized, I watered, I weeded, and this time instead of weeding I decided... they are done for, just pull them...

[img]https://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww281/Ozark_Lady/100_2661_phixr.jpg[/img]

In progress of removing them:

[img]https://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww281/Ozark_Lady/100_2662_phixr.jpg[/img]

And the harvest:
[img]https://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww281/Ozark_Lady/100_2663_phixr.jpg[/img]

I almost should have just cooked the sets instead of planting them and wasting the space and time.

3" deep? Okay, can I replant these this fall and let them try again?

Egyptians are loaded with bubils at the moment, and I have a 4x8' bed full of them. They taste too strong, but I bet fresh young shoots would be good. That is definitely worth a shot. Thanks Jal. I feel encouraged, a new idea all the way around.

And it is raining... yep real water falling from the sky, oh I hope it is at least an inch! We haven't had an inch in over a month.

[jal_ut]

Whoa! On regular bulbing onions you plant the sets about an inch deep. They just need to be barely covered.

On the Egyptian onions you plant the bulbils 3 inches deep. This gives you a nice long white section before the green. These are not going to bulb anyway. You probably have lots of bulbils now? Try this.

[Ozark Lady]

You know, last year, I brought some bubils inside, and I had gathered them up in a container, going to replant them. I set them down and forgot about them, the dew got on them. The next day, I found them, and brought them inside, they took off with the dampness, I didn't add any water, but those things lived in the cup, and I cut them for omelets, I did finally water them, but no dirt or fertilizers, and they were good that way. I had forgotten about that.

I think they would do great as an inside herb for fresh use in foods.

Okay, so mystery of can't grow regular onions isn't as simple as planting depth!

Maybe a box of sand? There has to be a way!

I need to renovate the egyptian onion bed, anyhow, it is getting wild!
[img]https://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww281/Ozark_Lady/100_2666_phixr.jpg[/img]
They are getting a bit carried away! I like the looks of only a few growing at a time.
[img]https://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww281/Ozark_Lady/100_2667_phixr.jpg[/img]

See, egyptians really need to be tamed!

[jal_ut]

I wonder what variety you planted? Here is a page about short day varieties.

[url=https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/publications/onions/shortday.html]Click[/url]

About all I can suggest is plant short day onions and plant early. February?

[Ozark Lady]

I bought the bag of sets that said...yellow onions!
It didn't have a name or daylength.
The box store gives a choice of red, white or yellow.
And since I can't grow them, I just grabbed one.

Perhaps I need to order onion seeds and get a named variety then raise my own sets this fall for Jan/Feb planting.

[bird dog]

TZ-OH6 hit it right on the nose. Onions flower the 2nd year and sets are 1yr old when you plant them. I start mine from seed in late July or August just scatter the seeds in a small area thats mostly good aged compost. I move them into rows with lots of compost, bone meal and wood ashes mixed in. They grow like crazy until the cold weather ( December in my area) they then just over winter waiting for spring when they continue to grow form bulbs and are ready for harvest in July. Even planting from seed you will get a few that flower every year these I remove these or just let them bloom to attract good insects.

[BrianSkilton]

My onions bolted from the heat, toward the end of May. Since late May we've been have temps in 90's and upper 80's. Then the wind blew them down despite my efforts with the tiles and the crisscrossed bamboo, it always comes in from so main different directions can't keep on top of it. Just yesterday the wind howled at 30mph for 48 hours straight and another 12. Finally!!! it's down to 8mph which is very uncommon.

[TZ -OH6]

Don't trust the local seed stores either. I just grabbed some onion seed at the local Tractor Supply...Ferry Morse Granex Yellow, = Georgia Vidalia, a short season variety, but the package didn't say anything, just gave planting dates for different parts of the country.

[Ozark Lady]

I went and picked a few bulbils that were escaping to the pathway for a forum member here.
I put alot more in a box than they requested and used less than half of the escapees.
I can't even tell that I removed any.
So, I have Egyptian Onions, that need to be planted pretty soon, if anyone would like some, I have more than enough to share.
Send me a pm with your address if you need a start of these invasive little guys! They will walk off everywhere! Which is okay with me.

[applestar]

Thank you Ozark Lady!

I scattered some outside and a few in a just vacated container next to the computer where I'm also starting some eggplants and planting onion bottoms.
One has started growing a root already (closest to the front -- can you see the root?) and I have the suspicion that the 1/2 buried large bulbil just behind it is too because I can't nudge it.
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/Image7585.jpg[/img]

I've reserved some more to let dry and plant later on.

[Ozark Lady]

Looks good, you will soon have lots of green onions.
I find they sprout green onions, before they even root.