Onions

[adik]

We are growing onions for the first time,does anyone know how you know when the've grown. There are long green stems growing up but the bulb presumably is under the earth, do you have to dig down to find them?

[coccinelle]

You'll see the top of the onion above the soil; they won't be ready yet.

[murraymints]

Well yes of course you have to dig down...but not for a bit yet.they need to grow..

[adik]

Thanks for your help

[woofgang]

http://www.garden.org/foodguide/browse/veggie/onions_harvesting/501

[Clanad]

Didn't read Woofs link, but watch for the ends of the stalks beginning to form heads... break them over by just stepping on them, else you won't get a harvestable onion bulb... they'll just go to head...

[Clanad]

... Unless of course you want, "salad" onions... the green ones with little head... by the way, a well planted onion bulb in the spring should just have the root end barely implanted into the earth... don't cover it. At harvest time, the bulb should nearly be totally out of the ground except for the rootsholding it down...

[Chipchopper]

I assume you've sown seeds rather than planted sets ?

Thin out the seedlings as they develop, as they need room to grow.
Of course you can use the thinnings like chives till the others have grown to the size you want. Keep weed free.

[sandyRoe]

I planted some onion sets once and the birds pulled them all out of the earth.

[SpikeyBush]

Yes sandyroe I have had that problem with sets. Either grow from seed or plant your sets under netting.

I have my onions growing with my carrots, that way the onion smell smothers that of the carrots so the carrot fly doesn't find them.