Why are some of my onions apparently growing through their bottoms?

Deleted by self.

 

That's weird.

 

Well I was thinking of a dry spell, when they finish growing followed by a wet spell that gets them moving again, but didn't think the weather had been that strange, it still dry here despite all the on and off showers.

 

Presuming from sets, could it be that the set was ruptured by forcing into hard ground? Alternatively, is it producing a flowerstem having fallen over, quickest route up? More information required- please report upon autopsy.......

 

Some kind of basal rot perhaps.

 

Think it self-identifies as a shallot...,
reports of pharmacuticals in waste water recycled affecting other life organisms, where will it all lead.

 

Excellent autopsy report @Drahcir !

It almost looks like there are growth nodules in the basal plate, trying to form a new plants as if from runners.

I have seen something like that in shop bought shallots forgotten in the fridge that start to sprout new growth from the cut base as well as sending up the optimistic stem to flower.

Perhaps it's just a bulb behaviour we are less used to seeing in onions bred for food- Daffodils for example split and grow new parts in a rather willy nilly way.

A very interesting thread, I trust we'll get some more insights and information from the knowledgeable folks in here.

 

The basal plate of an onion is its stem, the bulb is formed of modified leaves. There are buds within the modified stem/basal plate. If something causes these to start into growth then this is what you see growth from the base. Could be the weather, hot and dry followed by cooler wetter weather. Surprised that I haven't seen this this year.
More loosely "something" has "scared" the onion into "thinking" it's dying so it's stimulated buds into growth.
You can see this in other bulbs for example crocus and if you scoop out the centre of a hyacinth basal plate you stimulate buds around the edge into growth, you can also cut up snowdrop bulbs and so long as you have part of the basal plate you stand a good chance of getting a snowdrop from each bit, takes a couple of years to flower.

 

Problems basically. Cocaine in waste water can prevent eels from reaching sexual maturity. Hormones from "the pill" can cause problems with trout and other aquatic life not developing properly and deformed reproductive organs.
As for anti depressants don't ask. They can make aquatic animals less cautious so more likely to be predated also affects mating behavior.