When are Onions Ready?

[sheeshshe]

OK, so can I Hijack the thread? how does one know when onions are ready and when do they start bulbing? I have some that I started from seed and I also planted some sets. so, they've been in a month or so, should they be starting to bulb soon? or how does it work?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Onions form bulbs in response to changes in day length, but different varieties have different "trigger points" that stimulate bulb formation. Short day onion varieties start to form bulbs as soon as day length exceeds 10 to 12 hours, but long day onions won't start to bulb until days are 14 to 16 hours long. Ideally, you want the onions to keep growing as long as possible before lengthening days trigger them to bulb, so different varieties work in the southern, central, and norther regions.

The sweetest onions are short day onions that grow best in mild-winter climates. Short day onions mature in about 80 days when planting in the spring. Short day onions don't store well because they contain so much water. After harvest keep them in the fridge. Try the Red Creol onion!

Intermediate day onions produce a beautiful onion with a balanced, spicy sweet flavor. When properly cured they will store for months.These are sometimes referred to as day-neutral varieties because they can be grown almost anywhere. Try the Candy Hybrid onion!

Long day onions grow best in the North region. These onions will form hard, pungent flavor that store for a very long time. Many small specialty onions grow best in northern climates. Try the White Spanish onion!

Information from here. https://www.ufseeds.com/Onions_5b9df96a3e6667dff4d212808.html

Eric

[sheeshshe]

OK... so I have long day onions or intermediates or both. so, they should be bulbing by now, right? we're getting 15 hours of daylight.

[DoubleDogFarm]

I'm thinking they should trigger in the next couple weeks. How large are the plants?

Eric

[rainbowgardener]

In my experience, onions are very slow (at least from seed, I haven't done sets). The only way I ever get big bulbs like in the store is to plant onion seed in summer and just let it over winter. The next year, a beautiful onion! Otherwise I just get something more like a green onion.

[orgoveg]

In my experience, onions are very slow (at least from seed, I haven't done sets). The only way I ever get big bulbs like in the store is to plant onion seed in summer and just let it over winter. The next year, a beautiful onion! Otherwise I just get something more like a green onion.

Really? Wow. I'll have to try that. You're not far from me so I should have a similar result. I usually plant sets (aside from garlic and potatoes, it's the only thing I don't start from seed). From the sets, I get bulbs a little smaller than a tennis ball. Probably even smaller (I'd be real happy with a tennis ball sized onion). This year, I planted them much earlier so I hope it makes a difference.

To stay on topic, I wait until most of the onion tops have fallen over and lost their deep green color. Some of them will fall over immediately for various reasons, but when they're all down I think most of them are done growing. That's just a general rule of thumb. Some will usually still be standing when the time is right. Some of them will even begin to rot while their tops are still erect.

[RuHappy69]

Pulled the onions and they were only about an inch in diameter. All worthless. I'm thinking the extreme heat made them bolt. What a waste

[jal_ut]

Onion sets should be planted very early. The first chance you have after the snow leaves your plot. Here that is usually early April. They need to have some time to get some size before the days are long enough for bulbing. I am talking long day onions for the North. Onions from seed planted early will also bulb, but you won't get the large bulbs that you get from sets or plants put out early.

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

Onions from seed

When are onions ready? Onions are always ready. You can eat them at any stage of their development. Enjoy!

[garden5]

Onions are ready when you are!

Seriously, you can pick them at just about any stage of their growth: greens for a salad, or have patience and pick the large bulbs. My onions don't really start to bulb until about July and I plant them in Apr. so about 2.5 months.

[fishntime]

This is the first year for onions and they seem to be doing good. But I had someone tell me something that just did not make sense. He told me to break off the onion top and that you will get bigger onions at a pretty fast pace. Is that true?

[orgoveg]

This is the first year for onions and they seem to be doing good. But I had someone tell me something that just did not make sense. He told me to break off the onion top and that you will get bigger onions at a pretty fast pace. Is that true?

I've read that commercial onion farms will trim the tops of the onions that they are producing for sets. This supposedly stimulates root growth. I don't know if that would apply to onions that you are trying to grow to full size. They don't break off the whole set of leaves, they just trim the tips of them.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Is that true?

I don't think so.

Most onions when reaching the end of their life cycle will flop over. Some gardeners / farmers will lay over the rest to start the curing. I believe this is only done on storage type onions.

Eric

[jal_ut]

That myth/hoax about smashing the tops of onions or cutting them off to make them bulb is a Cruel Joke that some sadistic people keep trying to keep alive. What if I told you to step on your tomato plants to make the fruit come bigger and faster, would you believe that?

Eric has it right.

[vegetable-gardener88]

We plant sets in November and they don't properely bulk up until March they are ready now - we have just picked them all and they are drying.

[sheeshshe]

OK new question.... a few of them look like they're going to seed already? what is up with that?? does it have to do with our extreme fluctuating temps? it keeps going from 50's to 90's to 50's to 90's its nuts!