Growing onions question!

[tedln]

I was a total failure at growing bulb sized onions for many years. That changed when I learned to plant my seedlings in January instead of April and to plant them very shallow. I now plant them about 1/2" deep. The past two years have rewarded me with very large sweet onion bulbs. I grew so many this year, we didn't harvest or eat all of them before the tops died, fell over, and disappeared. Now when I need a couple of onions, I use my garden spade, turn some soil over; and harvest them as needed.

I expected them to remain hidden beneath the soil until I turn the garden soil over in the winter. They instead are sending new green leaves up in the hottest part of the summer. What is the life cycle of the onions producing new leaves now? Will they continue growing depleting the bulb, or will they grow into the fall, pause for the winter; and produce larger bulbs next spring?

Ted

[jal_ut]

I can only say that onion bulbs here, once they have had a rest period, when they start to grow again, will probably send up three or more shoots from the center of the bulb, and the energy in the bulb will be used up in support of the new growth, and will shrivel up. The new shoots will bloom and go to seed if left on the plant. They don't make another good bulb.

We are certainly in a different climatic situation, so I am not sure what you will find there.