The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: deepinthewoods on July 03, 2011, 09:53:48 pm

Title: when to lift my onions?
Post by: deepinthewoods on July 03, 2011, 09:53:48 pm
my onions are starting to brown on the outer skin and have fallen over, should i leave them to ripen in the ground or lift them, i could use the bed being freed up for winter brassicas? will they keep better for being ripened in the ground? thanks d
Title: Re: when to lift my onions?
Post by: Dan on July 03, 2011, 10:14:12 pm
As a rule of thumb we lift ours when more than half have fallen over.

They should all dry and store well by that time, except for those which have bull necks or have bolted.

You must be a long way south from us, because ours' are barely swelling yet!
Title: Re: when to lift my onions?
Post by: deepinthewoods on July 03, 2011, 10:49:22 pm
i am, mid cornwall. i planted japanese sets in october to overwinter so theyve been in a while.
Title: Re: when to lift my onions?
Post by: ellied on July 04, 2011, 09:24:54 am
My early sets (white) are pretty big now but not falling over - either they're going to be giants :o or can I lift a few early and use them without drying?

A couple with wide necks in the next batch (reds) - is that bull neck and what if anything should I be doing to keep them edible?
Title: Re: when to lift my onions?
Post by: Fleecewife on July 04, 2011, 09:50:43 am
Eat the wide necked ones now - they won't store as they don't dry off properly at the neck.  Fresh onions are even better than dried  :yum:   I can't grow overwintering onions up here but I don't think they last as long in storage as maincrop - anyone else know?