I have this on two of my plants. Is this normal?
[img]https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/inailum/Garden/DSC03692.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/inailum/Garden/DSC03693.jpg[/img]
What is growing on my onion shoots?
Anita
Sunset Zone 8 / USDA Zone 8a
Sunset Zone 8 / USDA Zone 8a
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Francis Barnswallow
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 696
- Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:28 pm
- Location: Orlando
That is the onion plants flower. Onions are biennials and will flower their second year of growth; they can also be tricked into thinking that they went through winter from the temperature swings in the spring. If you let it continue growing, numerous small white flowers will open.
You do not want onions to make the flower though. When an onion plant flowers, the flower grows through the bulb. This makes the onion rot faster so the onions with flowers will need to be used first. The flower won't affect the eating quality.
It is normal for a few onions to make flowers. If the majority of your onions make flowers, you didn't plant them at the right time. I planted onion plants in October from seeds that I started in September. I planted around 60 plants total from seeds and only one plant is bolting. Since they were tiny when the cold arrived, they weren't old enough to flower.
You do not want onions to make the flower though. When an onion plant flowers, the flower grows through the bulb. This makes the onion rot faster so the onions with flowers will need to be used first. The flower won't affect the eating quality.
It is normal for a few onions to make flowers. If the majority of your onions make flowers, you didn't plant them at the right time. I planted onion plants in October from seeds that I started in September. I planted around 60 plants total from seeds and only one plant is bolting. Since they were tiny when the cold arrived, they weren't old enough to flower.
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jal_ut
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7453
- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
- Location: Northern Utah Zone 5
That is the flower bud. Clip it off and eat it.
Many onion growers clip the flower buds off as soon as they see them. The problem is that an onion that has sent up a flower shoot will not store well whether you clip the bud or not. That big heavy leaf that the bud ls on goes right through the center of the onion and makes it susceptible to rot. Eat those first.
It is common to get flowers on onions grown from sets. The small sets about marble size, are not as prone to flower as larger sets.
Many onion growers clip the flower buds off as soon as they see them. The problem is that an onion that has sent up a flower shoot will not store well whether you clip the bud or not. That big heavy leaf that the bud ls on goes right through the center of the onion and makes it susceptible to rot. Eat those first.
It is common to get flowers on onions grown from sets. The small sets about marble size, are not as prone to flower as larger sets.
Gardening at 5000 feet elevation, zone 4/5 Northern Utah, Frost free from May 25 to September 8 +/-