Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

General information and discussion about cultivating onions, garlic, shallots and leeks.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old September 22, 2017   #16
Spike2
Tomatovillian™
 
Spike2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 992
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Worth1 View Post
Doctors recommend eating 7 to 10 large onions a day.Worth
Are these doctors unmarried?
Spike2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 22, 2017   #17
bower
Tomatovillian™
 
bower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,793
Default

I read somewhere that onions should be stored in the dark to prevent sprouting. That is as well as being cool and dry. Those are great looking onions. I only grew a few last year, they were late and didn't cure really well (too many fat necks) but in any case I didn't have enough to worry about long storage.... nor to follow Worth's doctor's advice.
bower is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 22, 2017   #18
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

Good looking onions.
Red and white onions don't keep as long as yellow one. but to me they are more tasty That is my experience. Mine have come and gone long time ago.

Onions are kept longer at cool room temperature. In cold they tend to sprout. Same goes for storing garlic.
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 22, 2017   #19
AlittleSalt
BANNED FOR LIFE
 
AlittleSalt's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bower View Post
I read somewhere that onions should be stored in the dark to prevent sprouting. That is as well as being cool and dry. Those are great looking onions. I only grew a few last year, they were late and didn't cure really well (too many fat necks) but in any case I didn't have enough to worry about long storage.... nor to follow Worth's doctor's advice.
I don't think I'm going off-topic, but if if I am - I do apologise.

I have read that too, and the same about potatoes. But after thinking about it both will eventually grow eyes/leaves if left out in the light. However, if you bury either one - they'll produce plants even faster...when the weather/soil gets cool enough.

So far, those onions have lasted 4 months in that open-faced barn in Texas heat and only one has grown leaves...and it's a white onion (Not pictured). The yellow onions in the picture I shared are Texas 1015Y . The internet sites disagree with shelf life, but I've seen them only last a couple of months. ...I don't know, but something good/fun to think about.

jhp, those are wonderful looking onions.

Last edited by AlittleSalt; September 22, 2017 at 11:37 PM. Reason: auto correct...grr
AlittleSalt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 28, 2017   #20
jhp
Tomatovillian™
 
jhp's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Danbury, CT
Posts: 462
Default

Thanks everyone for sharing your advice and experience. Fingers crossed for me! Winter is a high onion use time for me with soups, stews, roasts, etc.

Jen
jhp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 28, 2017   #21
jhp
Tomatovillian™
 
jhp's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Danbury, CT
Posts: 462
Default

And goodness thanks so much for the kind words and compliments! Onions have been a sore spot for me in the garden in terms of getting a good harvest. So this feels good.

Jen
jhp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 1, 2017   #22
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

For 2018 I am cutting back on tomatoes and peppers and instead plan to plant more onions and garlic. Unlike tomato, onion and garlic can be kept for a good while . Besides , I use/cook with onion and garlic almost every day.
I don't know how to grow onions from seed. So I either buy sets or plants.
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 1, 2017   #23
AlittleSalt
BANNED FOR LIFE
 
AlittleSalt's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
Default

Growing onions from seed is actually easy. Where I'm at in zone 8A Texas, you start onion seeds in a flat in October. They need a light like the ones you use for starting tomatoes. Basically, onions are like edible chia plants/bonsai trees at that stage. You can give them a haircut.

Good things about growing from seed are:

1. Onion seeds are cheaper than buying sets.
2. There are more varieties to choose from - buy online if you have to.
3. It gives you something to grow during the winter.

The bad things are really simple.

1. Don't forget to water them.
2. Don't forget they need light.
3. Cats love to lay on them because they are under warm lights.

This next January, I'm going to buy sets locally in January to plant - because I have a lot going on otherwise.
AlittleSalt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 7, 2017   #24
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

Yesterday I was at the feed/seed store and bought one pound yellow onion sets.
They are like small cherry tomatoes in size.
I estimated to have about 150 of them.
Is it the right time to plant them in zone 8a, NC ?
Last year I planted some in the spring. They did ok but not very good.
Years ago I planted some in November , back in Atl. GA. Lots of them bolted , especially the red variety. So I should avoid red ones. Yellow variety seems to do better.
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 8, 2017   #25
AlittleSalt
BANNED FOR LIFE
 
AlittleSalt's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
Default

In zone 8A Texas, January is when to plant transplants/sets.
AlittleSalt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 8, 2017   #26
TomNJ
Tomatovillian™
 
TomNJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Floyd VA
Posts: 765
Default

Here in southwest VA near the NC border I plant my onions first week of April. I am at 2600 ft altitude, so if you are on the NC coastal plain you may want to start them in mid-March.

I've grown my onions from seed for many years, and tried sets, but I find onion plants give me the largest onions. I buy the plants from Dixondale Farms in Texas and schedule delivery for the very end on March. I planted 475 onions this year for just my wife and I.... we love onions! Did an equal amount to garlic and won Grand Champion at the local county fair for both.

TomNJ/VA
TomNJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 8, 2017   #27
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
b54red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
Default

I think one thing that is crucial is picking short day onions down here. I have tried lots of intermediate day and a few long day onions and none of them produce well and some didn't make any onions at all. The most dependable onion for me has been white Bermuda onions that I start from seed in October and set out in late December or January. They also will store well as long as they are kept in a fairly dry location. I just put mine in mesh bags that oranges come in and hang them. It is a good idea to check them from time to time by smelling them closely and if you smell something off check the bag and make sure one isn't rotting on you because it will spread fast.

Vidalia types do great down here but they don't store well at all. I have a friend who peels his Vidalias and puts them in zip lock bags in a refrigerator and says they keep well that way. I haven't tried it in large amounts but have stored small bags of peeled onions for several weeks at the time so it may work.

I ordered several varieties of short day onions to try besides the Bermudas this year. Living down here in the deep south growing long day onions isn't a choice but they are usually the varieties that will keep the best as storage onions.

Bill
b54red is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 1, 2018   #28
GoDawgs
Tomatovillian™
 
GoDawgs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b
Posts: 1,685
Default Short day vs Intermediate onions

This is my second year of growing bulbing onions and I grow my plants from seed just like I do my scallions (in market packs under lights). This past October I set out Red Creole (short day) and Australian Brown (intermediate day) as I did Oct '16. They both produced beautiful onions. However, the Red Creole bolted last spring and they're starting to bolt now. The Browns didn't bolt last year and so far haven't this year.

I think it has to do with the weather. Both last year and this year we had really warm Februarys with highs in the 70's. Then in both Marches we ran into several 5-7 day stretches of highs in the upper 30's-low 40's before it warmed up nicely again. My guess is that the onions thought they had gone through winter again and decided it was time to set seed.

Should I try a different short day this fall to replace Red Creole? The current plan for this fall is to just grow the Australian Brown, also try another intermediate and forget the short day onions. Maybe intermediates are more tolerant of temp swings?

I only grow two 18' rows of onions as I have limited storage space to keep them cool. Of course, bolted onions won't store well anyway according to what I've read. I had them start going bad even before they were cured enough to store.

Any input would be appreciated!
GoDawgs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 1, 2018   #29
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Like I said in another thread.
Onions are complicated.
Yes they thought they went through two years in one and set seeds.

Onions will bolt when they get I think about 5 to 7 leaves on them if they think it is the second year or it is the second year.
If they think it is the first year then you want as many leaves on them as you can get.
13 to 14 will make a good size onion.
Each leaf is a layer of onion.
Chopping leaves to the ground and stomping over said leaves will not make a bigger bulb.
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:37 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★