Onions and their going to seed all at once????????????

[gixxerific]

I bought some Candy onions from a farm this year and so far they have been kicking butt. They are twice or more the size and vitality of my Lowe's bought (no name) Red onions. The Lowe's onions have been sending up flower stalks for a bit here and there. I though the Candy's were doing great and I might get away without any flowering.

Now not sure why they all of the sudden they started but we did just go from from cold (60's, 70's during the day and 40's, 50's at night) with WAY TOO MUCH RAIN. To 90's and NO RAIN WHAT SO EVER overnight like someone flipped a switch! It's 99 here right now with record temps for tomorrow and we are going camping with the Cub Scouts but that is another thread altogether.

So what do you think and what should I do. Should I go cut off all the flowering tips? Will this adversely affect my harvest? Some of them are getting big. I wanted (expected) monsters this time for the first time. Now I may be left with a ho-hum harvest.

[jal_ut]

I cut the flower buds as soon as I see them. There is still a problem though. That big leaf the flower is on comes right out of the center of the onion and leaves a hollow spot right in the center of the onion. For some reason these onions seem to spoil quicker and do not store well. Use these first.

One thing you might too is let a couple bloom and make seed for next year.

[gixxerific]

Thanks James, this is actually the first time I saw the flower stalks. I check them about every day as well.

I will cut them I will also let a few go to seed, I already decided that. I am doing that with my other onions as well.

The whole not storing thing bums me out, I knew about this and that is not good.

Will they still grow and get big after cutting the flower stalk or will they go into limbo?

[jal_ut]

I don't know how much the onion actually grows once it decides to flower. How big are your onions? Maybe you would do well to smash all the tops down and get them drying out for harvest? Seems a bit harsh though at this early in the season? I have never grown that variety. I think I would just cut flowers and see how they do.

[Gary350]

My father is 87 years old I asked him what to do and he says bend the tops over. He said if you bend the tops over it stops it from flowering. I have never tried it myself and I am not good at growing onions.

[gixxerific]

Following are some pics.

My neighbor squashed down his onions, I thought he was nuts. I asked today why he said his grandpa told it would help them. Now Gary say's his old timer father suggest it.

Hmmmmmmmm?????????????????

Maybe there is something to this.

I still have that feeling in the back of my head that if I squash them down they won't grow anymore. This is my best onion year in all of my gardening life.

Some of them are about tennis ball size give or take. But I would hate to smash down ones that will grow more if not. So any more ideas on this, a third or fourth onion never hurts.

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC05237.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC05238.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC05239.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC05240.jpg[/img]

[jal_ut]

I smash the onions down about mid August. The reason I do it then is so the tops will start to dry up for harvest. By then they are pretty much done growing and won't grow more. I hesitate to smash them down early in their growth spurt. Yours look like they are growing great right now. Just cut the blooms off.

[gixxerific]

Again thanks Jal I was thinking the same thing. But it never hurts to ask again and again.

[applestar]

Gixx, did you know you wrote this?

So any more ideas on this, a third or fourth onion never hurts.

... I was LOL

[gixxerific]

Yes I saw it after I posted. I thought it fit too well to edit it though.

[sheeshshe]

ok, so what happens if they start to flower and they haven't bulbed yet? should I cut them off?

[garden5]

To my knowledge, you bend the tops over when you are going to harvest them, so that makes me think that they won't grow anymore after this. I've only tried it once most of the tops has fallen over naturally, though.

[gixxerific]

I was just freshening up my onion harvesting the other day going through you-tube videos. I saw one from the Cajun Gardener (I believe that is what he calls himself I love his videos) He was harvesting Candy which I have he said they are good keepers. I hope this seeding thing doesn't hurt that.