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Last Year's Onions

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  • 30-04-2012 12:47am
    #1
    Wheelnut
    Registered Users Posts: 977 ✭✭✭


    Last year my onion sets were a disaster. The problem was that I planted them too close to some lelandi and the roots dried the ground too much. About half the onions grew and the others seemed to be dead. I harvested the good ones and left the "dead" ones with the intention of digging them out this spring. However, during the winter the "dead" ones came to life and started growing. They are now doing well but the bulbs are dividing like shallots.

    Now I'm wondering can these "dividing onion sets" be used like ordinary onion sets? Should they be plucked early or late and is the flavour OK? Are they as good as first year onion sets or if they are not as good should I dig them out and get rid of them now?


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    #2
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,529 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    you may find that thye'll go to seed on you rather than plump up.


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    #3
    Wheelnut
    Registered Users Posts: 977 ✭✭✭Wheelnut


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    you may find that thye'll go to seed on you rather than plump up.

    It's looking like you were right, seed heads developing everywhere in the last week or so. What do I do now? Snip the heads off, dig out the onions and dump them or leave them and use them? Can the seeds be harvested and used? (probably not worth the trouble when sets are so cheap!)


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    #4
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭redser7


    The seeds could be collected, but really what's the point apart from the interest of doing it. If what you have smells and tastes oniony, sure dig them up and use them. Start again with new sets next time.


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    #5
    dardevle
    Registered Users Posts: 771 ✭✭✭dardevle


    ......

    the flavor of these may not be so good,

    onions are a biennial plant, meaning they go from a seed to making seed in a 2 year cycle, we don't allow them to go the second year of growth and harvest after the first year when the plant has concentrated energy storage in the bulb, in the second year the plant concentrates on making flowers and seed and the flavour and structure of the bulb changes (not for the good),you could give them a try and see if they are palatable to you,

    in terms of saving seed to reuse, it would be helpful to know the type of seed the plant came from, if it is a hybrid (such as an F1 variety) you may not get a like for like plant but rather one or the other parent plants and they may not be very good at all:o.



    ....


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