Onions Splitting

[SOB]

I have been growing yellow storage onions (stuttgarter) the past 4+ years and each year I seem to get more and more that split and grow 2 separate but attached bulbs. Unfortunately these don't dry as well and in turn don't store as well. I grow about 200 each year and that's typically enough for our family to last all winter and next spring until it's time to harvest the new crop. We have gotten to the point that we have to separate the split ones and try and use them first. We still end up composting a bunch of them because they turn mushy so quickly.

After some reading I have gotten a variety of reasons (planted too deep, planted too shallow, too much spacing in between them, inconsistent watering, too big of sets) and since it's getting worse year after year I feel it's something I am doing.

I buy ~2lbs of sets (bulb type) so it's hard for me to pick through them to make sure I get the smaller marble sized ones. I plant them so the tips are at the top of the soil and I have tried spacing them on center as well as on center. Watering I have little control of

So what's everyone's experience? I have even thought about going with a different kind of onion but I don't have very many options locally. I have looked at sets online and in catalogs but they would cost me about $30 for what I currently only pay about $4-5 for locally.

Thanks!

[applestar]

I'm clueless about why or what to do to prevent them from splitting, but I'm thinking you could relatively easily sort the onion sets by making a box or a trough out of chicken wire fencing with appropriately sized holes and shaking or rolling them down the trough.

...that was the idea that just popped into my head anyway. This is basically what processing factories do with various crops along long conveyer belts and runs. So you may need to repeat a few times, but it should work?

[jal_ut]

About all I can suggest is to plant another variety of yellow onion.
I can't explain why they split. I suggest its the bulbs.
Also be advised onions are day length sensitive. Usually for Southern growers
short day onions are used. At my locale long day onions are used. Get the
right type for your area. (You would think a local supplier would be selling
the right type?)

If you are just planting them now, the long day type is likely what you need.

The yellow Spanish type works well for me.

[SOB]

Thanks, I think what I'll do is half the stuttgarter and try and find somewhere else that has other yellow storage onion sets. Then I can compare the two harvests. We do plant long day onions here in Ohio.

[Peter1142]

Not much variety and many issues with sets. I suggest buying plants. I recommend checking out Dixondale Farms.

I am growing my own from seed this year.

[Taiji]

When I notice that my onions split, is after they have been in the ground over the winter, then start to grow again the next spring. Maybe whoever supplied you with the sets left them in the ground too long and the onions think it's their second year?

[Meatburner]

Taiji, what onions do you grow that you overwinter? It get 10 degrees below zero here so no onions can overwinter here.

[AnnaIkona]

Maybe it's something wrong with the seeds you plant? I agree with Jal_ut...try planting some other varieties and see where it takes you.

[Taiji]

Taiji, what onions do you grow that you overwinter? It get 10 degrees below zero here so no onions can overwinter here.

I'm just talking about those onions that come in the mesh bags relatively cheap from Home Depot or Wal Mart; usually 80 bulbs in the bag. I usually use most of those up as green onions, sometimes let them get bigger; but sometimes I don't get to all of them and they just stay in the ground; remain green; then start up again in spring. My zone says average extreme minimum temp is 5 to 10 degrees if I'm remembering correctly. We had those temps this winter. But here I also get a lot of bright warm sunshine in the winter.
By the way, the onions in those mesh bags that work best for me are the yellow ones; the red or white ones don't do as well for me here.

[SOB]

We have had a dry week but the rain is coming. Garden soil was turning over good so I went to my usual store to get the onion sets. I was happy to see they were much smaller this year. I got extra (a little over 2lbs – only $7) so that I could make sure I pick out the bigger ones and only use the small ones. Planted over 200 in total with enough left over to give to my mom. I just can’t see paying $30-40 online to get ~200 onion sets. To save $20+ I can put up with some splitting.