Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Onions - Will They Bulb?

Sure enough, it snowed again today. The flakes were so fat and so wet that they really didn't do much sticking, but it sure did come down hard for hours. It was really pretty.

Last weekend I was out taking pictures and snapped these of the onions. I've tried onions before, but they've never bulbed up. The ones last fall got hollowed out by some insect and the ones last spring just bolted right out of the gate. These were planted in the fall and they look thick and good now.

Yellow onions
Purple onions
I don't remember the variety, but they were plants from the store.
The stalks look good and thick right now. So, what's the trick? When will they, or rather will they bulb up? I'm so worried they should have done something or moved in that general direction by now.
The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

10 comments:

  1. Mine look about like now. I hope you get terrific keeping onions.

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  2. I wish were were able to overwinter onions here! I can't wait to see what they look like when you dig it up!

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  3. Mine aren't doing much either, but I really don't think it's time yet. Keep your fingers crossed!

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  4. By the look of those thick stems they should produce big bulbs. Onions are day light sensitive and will not bulb until certain day light lengths are reached. The range is 10-16 hours of day light depending on the variety before they will start bulbing up. I would guess they should be ready late spring.

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  5. Good! I'll need them out of there by late spring so I can get those limas in. I'm excited about trying those this year.

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  6. I'm trying onions too and mine definitely don't look as good as yours. Mine are still pretty thin. I really hope I get some good ones this year. Onions are one of those crops I really really want to be successful with since we use them so often.

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  7. That is awsome Ribbit! Yes I want to know what happens too. I tried bulb onions last year, planted in spring, nothing big by fall, so if this works, I can just plant them in fall and harvest them by late spring! awesome! Those were onion sets right? not seeds?

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  8. Jes, JenGC, they were from plants.

    Hannah, I planted them around September I think. They're in the sunniest place I have and they've seemingly been in the ground for ever and a day.

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  9. Dan's right. They will probably bulb up later in the spring. I plant onion sets now (March) each year, and they are ready to pull in late June.

    Your look great, though! They should make nice big onions.

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  10. Precious!! And thank the Good Lord for the sun and spring, right?!

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