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Onion growing above ground
I've started onions from seed and transplants this year. The seeds have turned into onions but some of the onions are clearly growing above ground. Is this normal?? Should I try to cover them with soil?
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- Super Green Thumb
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- gixxerific
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- Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B
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Here are my Copra onions, long day, excellent storage.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Vegetable%20Garden%20plants/CopyofGardenJune27th2011006.jpg[/img]
You can see they are starting to develop bulbs and are pushing out of the ground.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Vegetable%20Garden%20plants/CopyofGardenJune27th2011008.jpg[/img]
No need to cover.
Eric
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Vegetable%20Garden%20plants/CopyofGardenJune27th2011006.jpg[/img]
You can see they are starting to develop bulbs and are pushing out of the ground.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Vegetable%20Garden%20plants/CopyofGardenJune27th2011008.jpg[/img]
No need to cover.
Eric
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- gixxerific
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The thing about covering is they don't like it. They don't like to soaked but they do need water. But they like it dry to a point. Especially at harvest they should be watered less a few weeks or so before a planned harvest. SO letting them get their shoulders out of the ground helps them dry up, too wet and they rot.garden5 wrote:Going to be redundant here....DON'T COVER.
I did this the first time I grew onions and I ended up with small ones....planting the wrong day-length variety doesn't help, either .
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- jal_ut
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Don't trim the onion tops. Even if they flop around, the green tops will synthesize food for the plant. When it is done growing the tops usually fall over and start to dry up. Its not a bit unusual for some of the tops (leaves) to flop over. Just let them do their thing. If they start to make a flower you can trim that one off.
- jal_ut
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In Botany "Scape" is a flowering stem that originates at the crown or roots of the plant. We have been hearing plenty about garlic scapes, but onions have scapes too. These are onion scapes.
[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/onion_scapes.jpg[/img]
These are edible too. The onion scape is hollow, but thick walled and juicy. If cut across in pieces about 3/8 inch long, they make interesting little green onion rings. Use them in salad, soup or stirfry. Harvest them when the blossom is still small.
The blossoms are edible too, but I find them to be hot and stout. They may be fine in a soup.
[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/onion_scapes.jpg[/img]
These are edible too. The onion scape is hollow, but thick walled and juicy. If cut across in pieces about 3/8 inch long, they make interesting little green onion rings. Use them in salad, soup or stirfry. Harvest them when the blossom is still small.
The blossoms are edible too, but I find them to be hot and stout. They may be fine in a soup.
Last edited by jal_ut on Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
OK, so I will leave the tops alone. They are looking really good and growing so well. Our shallots are doing well also and we are hoping for a nice crop of single bulbs since started them from seed also.
I planted Leeks 6 inches deep May 4 and had to start blanching them again this week. Wow - these Musselburgh leeks are going to be something since they can stay in the ground until early winter/deep frost.
I plan to grow different onion varieties next year - Copra, Ailsa Craig and Red Wing.
Anyone have any thoughts about these varieties?
I planted Leeks 6 inches deep May 4 and had to start blanching them again this week. Wow - these Musselburgh leeks are going to be something since they can stay in the ground until early winter/deep frost.
I plan to grow different onion varieties next year - Copra, Ailsa Craig and Red Wing.
Anyone have any thoughts about these varieties?
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I assume you live up North, by your choices?
I really like Copra. Long storage. Growing them from seed for the first time. Started in Feb. in the greenhouse.
This photo I believe is some of the 2009 harvest.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20produce/CopraOnions.jpg[/img]
Eric
I really like Copra. Long storage. Growing them from seed for the first time. Started in Feb. in the greenhouse.
This photo I believe is some of the 2009 harvest.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20produce/CopraOnions.jpg[/img]
Eric
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- jal_ut
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Yes, onions are not planted deep. The bulbs develop mostly above ground. When they have their size tip all the tops over so they can start to dry up before pulling the onions. Then pull the onions and let them dry some more on top of the ground (or in the garage spread out if its stormy) before cutting off the tops and storing them.