Onion Questions

also, i have little shoots of grass and some other random plants coming up now with the onions, do i drag them out?

 

This is a wind-up, surely.

 

hahah, the last one was, but, uh, the ones before aren't. :/

 

Hi David.

The onion seeds I've saved have been either from a shop-bought onion that has started to grow shoots - bung it in the ground and just let it do its thing.
OR, onions grown from seed which have been left in the soil after the tops have died. For both, the next year in summer they grow a very tall tubular spike with a spherical seed head on it - sort of like a dandelion, but with lots of small flowers, usually white or with a purple tinge. At first it has a cover over it with a spiky top, which falls off around this time of year, exposing the flowers, which bees seem to like

Eventually the flowers will wither, leaving an irregular shaped black seed in the middle of each one.

I've grown onions and leeks successfully from these seeds. This year I've got an area of the garden where I've transplanted stuff and let it run to seed - beetroots, lettuce, pak choi, swede, parsnip, leek and a few sorts of onions. The leek stalks are nearly 7 feet tall!!!

Have just collected the first Pak Choi seeds. I just put any collected seeds in a shallow dish in the airing cupboard for a few days to remove any moisture which might make them sprout, then put them in small re-sealable plastic bags (that used to hold electronic components - my other hobby )

Certainly works for me!

cheers,
Dave

 

Nope, level the garden and start again.

 

I would spray all the weeds in your onions with roundup, that'll sort the problem out mate. Will also help you stop worrying about your onions, heh,heh:D

 

my red onions are getting a flower on the top, I dug one up that had been earthed up but the root was just a thick red one, no bulb! :( im having terrible luck this year, although my toms, taters, strawbs, rasberries & blueberries are doing well! maybe i should stick to fruit!

 

aaaahhh, so, they don't produce seeds until next year? is there a peice of terminology for a plant that does that? if i plant a couple out will they need covering through winter?

 

Could I ask Andy, why it had been earthed up?

Your onion problem is probably related to being a Man City supporter...cause nothing usually works for them, heh,heh.

 

i'll uh, level you and then, er, start you again in a minute, captain sarcasm

 

Incorrect David.

They can produce seed in the first year if allowed to. What you have to look out for, so that they don't go to seed, is a small bud forming on the top of one of the green shoots from the onion. You need to check this everyday. At the first sign of a bud, pinch it out immediately, otherwise this will lead to a flower (similar to chive, leek) which will then produce seed. All this is done at the expense of the root ie onion.:thumb:

 

well I was earthing up my taters so I thought it would be a good idea for my onions too, seen it done at eden project too! And as for the football swipe, you'll soon be seeing us in the top 4!

 

Well I have never heard of that Andy...wonder if anyone else on here has, or does it.

Top 4 eh...dream on sunshine, heh,heh.

 

i don't think i have enough space or earth to earth up my taters and onions...
does this means i'm going to have poison taters?

still no buds on onions or taters.