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Onions - do I cover?

• Message 1. 

  Posted by BigG up North (U1914634) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  Despite everyone saying onions are easy to grow, I've failed the first two years, probably planting too late and only having very small, but still tasty. This season I planted in late October and they, in the main seem to be doing ok, some are still small, but others doing well, but they are now breaking the surface of the soil.
  
  This is where I don't know, do I recover with soil/compost or allow them to grow above the surface or does this mean they are ready?
  
  They are still white with no obvious skin, any advice as usual would be greatly appreciated.
  
  thank you

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Ian W (U8604472) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  I usually leave mine alone - I don't cover them up and they're fine. They are ready to pick when the leaves go over and drop down. Then you should pick and dry well before storing.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by John Moodie (U14353581) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  Hi,if you planted in Oct. I would think they should be ready. Do you till the soil deep before planting? Onion roots grow down not sideways. If the soil is compacted, that would be the reason for small bulbs and bulbs growing out of the soil. If your bulbs are a good size I would bend the stems to the ground. Leave them a week, then dig up the bulbs, lay them in the sun for a week at least, turn them over every day. Now you can store them. If you are going to keep them growing, I wouldn't worry about covering them with more soil, maybe if more than half the bulb is exposed.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by BigG up North (U1914634) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  Ian W, John Moodie, thanks for the advice - it's much appreciated, some are a decent size others less so, but the larger ones are the ones above the surface, but by about 50% so I guess I'll leave them a little while longer.
  
  Thanks for the advice regarding storage, was wondering how long to dry for.
  
  Thanks again

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• Message 5

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  Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  I find growing onion sets in spring is just as good as growing then from october. So i do not bother planting them in October now i plant in March and they are ready in August.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by BigG up North (U1914634) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  londonplantmad - tried twice with spring planting with white onions and again with red onions this year and they have been resounding failures
  
  At least with the autumn planting I can see something with for my efforts.
  
  Would this be caused by regional variations - I'm in the north west of England

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• Message 7

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  Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  Whatever time you grow onions need to be on the surface to allow the skin to get the sun. Everything is later this year because of the weather so i would not worry to much as they will catch up. Gardening is about enjoyment its not worth stressing about it as we all have the elements to deal with. Maybe try a different variety or think about soil preparation before you start. Onions do not need freshly composted ground.

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• Message 8

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  Posted by farmerSteve (U2644680) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  onions should naturally be growing on the surface. By now autumn planted onion should be approaching harvest but the tops will tell you. when they start to fall over (necking) they are ready to think about lifting and drying. The bulbs feed off the leaves so do not harvest too early. Autumn onions do not keep as well as spring sown onions.
  Spring sown sets in the south of the country will be ready ffor harvest at the end of July. Spring sown seed the end of August beginning of September

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• Message 9

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  Posted by annaw1 (U14287763) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  I'm only a newbie but my book tells me not to plant sets too deep - only about one third to halfway up the set, otherwise they can apparently develop thick necks and do not store as well.
  
  I don't know if autumn-planted onions should be planted differently but I did my spring-planted ones this way and they are doing fine. I also read that they don't like recently manured soil and that it is not a good idea to bend the stems over yourself (as traditionally advised) as it damages the stem which again reduces their storage time.

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• Message 10

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  Posted by greensward (U14347965) on Saturday, 26th June 2010

  Hi, Onion sets are planted with the tips just showing above the soil, shallots should have the tips just below the surface.

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• Message 11

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  Posted by diggingdoris (U13981971) on Thursday, 1st July 2010

  I bought a bag of sets and planted in spring. The tops have gone over on some of them but the onions don't look very big, in fact they look about the size of a spring onion you'd buy in a shop. As I didn't use all the sets can I plant some in October ready for next year?

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