Onions and when to pull them

Thanos · 06-08-2009 9:44am #1

Hi, Just wondering if there is a normal time to pull onions?
During July with all the rain the stems were bent over and bulbs have started to swell, (about the size of a tennis ball) but not as bug as last year. Some of the leaves are starting to turn colour and I had to pull a few as they had started to rott, due to all the rain we had.

Should i leave the rest in the ground for a bit, mid August or so and then pull them or what is the normal time to pull?

Thanks.

old boy · 06-08-2009 7:15pm

when you think they are big enough.

John mac · 06-08-2009 7:18pm

i picked my onions last week, (and my garlic) now hanging in the garage,

lovely smell when you open the door now, Keeps away the Vampires .

dfbemt · 07-08-2009 11:04am

I also grew some onions this year. Do I have to hang them or is it just your garlic?

If I have to hang them I take it that the bulb is lowest down?

Sorry for dumb questions - just starting

Thanos · 07-08-2009 11:10am

dfbemt wrote: »

I also grew some onions this year. Do I have to hang them or is it just your garlic?

If I have to hang them I take it that the bulb is lowest down?

Sorry for dumb questions - just starting

Once they are pulled you should leave them out in the sun (if we get any) to dry/rippen. I often use the garden bench for this and have a sheet of plastic ready so i can cover them quick if the rain comes,

after a 7 to 14 days you are ready to hand them, I think this is the best method as it allows air to circulate around them and so help to avoid rot.

I would pull the excess leaves off leaving a stem of about 4 inches, then bend this over and tie it with string and then tie this onto you long rope that you will hand up.

John mac · 07-08-2009 11:57am

dfbemt wrote: »

I also grew some onions this year. Do I have to hang them or is it just your garlic?

If I have to hang them I take it that the bulb is lowest down?

Sorry for dumb questions - just starting

both.

i have the windows open so they have dried out fine.

dfbemt · 09-08-2009 11:08pm

Thanks for the help and sorry to hijack the OP on this.

Pics are great, speak a thousand words as they say.

Put some more in ground today that I had grown from seed a few weeks back. Hope to have them up before winter sets in.

Have grown strawberries and tomatoes for the past few summers. This year I moved onto the onions, beans and rhubarb.

Great for the kids to see everything growing plus it gives a sense of achievement to eat something you have grown.

Planning for next year already......... :cool:

Onions and when to pull them

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