onions for the non gardener
 

Hello all.

Some time ago, probably in July, I found an onion in my vegetable rack
which had sprouted green shoots.

Out of curiosity I planted the onion in my front garden and it grew about
10 large long thick leaves that wilted and died , and also 2 large stalks
about 3 and a half foot high.

Each stalk has a round ball flower type thing on the top.

Now I see that one of the flower balls has small green shoots coming out
of what appears to be very small onions in the head of the flower.

What do I do next ?

I know absolutely nothing

fray bentos the non gardener

onions for the non gardener
 

"Fray Bentos" wrote in message
. ..
Hello all.

Some time ago, probably in July, I found an onion in my vegetable rack
which had sprouted green shoots.

Out of curiosity I planted the onion in my front garden and it grew about
10 large long thick leaves that wilted and died , and also 2 large stalks
about 3 and a half foot high.

Each stalk has a round ball flower type thing on the top.

Now I see that one of the flower balls has small green shoots coming out
of what appears to be very small onions in the head of the flower.

What do I do next ?

I know absolutely nothing

fray bentos the non gardener
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Onion is a biennial {2yr.life cycle} and you have witnessed the 2nd.
final year. It has flowered and will now die. It is possible to plant the
small plantlets that have grown on the head but this is not easy or
productive.
Best Wishes Brian.

onions for the non gardener
 

Fray Bentos wrote:
[...]
Each stalk has a round ball flower type thing on the top.

Now I see that one of the flower balls has small green shoots
coming
out of what appears to be very small onions in the head of the
flower.

What do I do next ?

I know absolutely nothing

fray bentos the non gardener

You don't have to do anything. Some members of the onion tribe do
this kind of thing all the time. You could separate the bulbils and
pop them in the soup, or even grow them on for the fun of it --
probably more to look at than for any great kitchen-worthiness.

Onion flower-heads can make nice dried thingies for
flower-arrangements, by the way.

--
Mike.

onions for the non gardener
 

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond contains these
words:


"Fray Bentos" wrote in message
. ..
Hello all.

Some time ago, probably in July, I found an onion in my vegetable rack
which had sprouted green shoots.

Out of curiosity I planted the onion in my front garden and it grew
about
10 large long thick leaves that wilted and died , and also 2 large
stalks
about 3 and a half foot high.

Each stalk has a round ball flower type thing on the top.

Now I see that one of the flower balls has small green shoots coming
out
of what appears to be very small onions in the head of the flower.

What do I do next ?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Onion is a biennial {2yr.life cycle} and you have witnessed the 2nd.
final year. It has flowered and will now die. It is possible to plant
the
small plantlets that have grown on the head but this is not easy or
productive.

A month or so back I posted a message about finding the same things
growing from my leek flowerheads. Also asked at local garden club . They
are called pips, and apparently much in demand by exhibition growers
(to produce huge specimens). I've planted some in the garden and some in
pots in the coldframe, both sets are growing on well and should give me
a head start on free veg next season. (Just gently tweak them out of the
flower head, and plant. Couldn't be easier)

Others just fell off the flowerhead onto the bed below and show every
sign of rooting themselves into the soil.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a very exacting process with many steps that must be correctly
undertaken. The most likely outcome, without step by step guidance, is that
they will simply treat next year as their second and just produce flowers.
The specialist information is available via Google though was very difficult
to source for many years as growers treated it as a 'trade secret'.
Best Wishes Brian.

onions for the non gardener
 

Lovely alliums, Lilies do much the same, after flowering they sometimes
produce little bulblets near the top of the stem, these can be taken off,
tossed in a plastic bag with moist compost, wait until they start to root
then plant up, it will take about 3 years before producing flowers.
Now then, do you want onions or flowers?
Grow the bulblets on and , these are known as sets.
regards
Cineman
"Fray Bentos" wrote in message
. ..
Hello all.

Some time ago, probably in July, I found an onion in my vegetable rack
which had sprouted green shoots.

Out of curiosity I planted the onion in my front garden and it grew about
10 large long thick leaves that wilted and died , and also 2 large stalks
about 3 and a half foot high.

Each stalk has a round ball flower type thing on the top.

Now I see that one of the flower balls has small green shoots coming out
of what appears to be very small onions in the head of the flower.

What do I do next ?

I know absolutely nothing

fray bentos the non gardener