I am growing red baron & stuttgarter giant?.Do you have to wait until the
leaves have started to die back,bend them over lift and dry.Or can you just
pick the decent sized onions straight from the ground when needed & straight
in to the kitchen to use?
Sorry if this is a stupid Q ,first time veg grower here!
--
Thanks Keith,Nottingham,England,UK.

keith ;-) wrote:
I am growing red baron & stuttgarter giant?.Do you have to wait
until
the leaves have started to die back,bend them over lift and dry.Or
can you just pick the decent sized onions straight from the ground
when needed & straight in to the kitchen to use?
Sorry if this is a stupid Q ,first time veg grower here!

No gardening question is ever stupid...with the possible exception of
"Do you fancy a bite of this apple?" My turn: is there anything in
this practice of bending over onion tops? I can't see it, myself.

--
Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
keith ;-) wrote:
I am growing red baron & stuttgarter giant?.Do you have to wait
until
the leaves have started to die back,bend them over lift and dry.Or
can you just pick the decent sized onions straight from the ground
when needed & straight in to the kitchen to use?
Sorry if this is a stupid Q ,first time veg grower here!


Onions are only 'ripened' in the way you describe in order to extend their
keeping qualities. If you need onions for cooking and have some in the
garden of a suitable size, then use 'em!

No gardening question is ever stupid...with the possible exception of
"Do you fancy a bite of this apple?" My turn: is there anything in
this practice of bending over onion tops? I can't see it, myself.

I never bend over onion tops either - it's supposed to hasten the end of
active growth and thus start the 'ripening' process but as far as I can see
all it does is bruise the stem and make it easier for decay to set in! The
tops will lie down of their own accord when the onion's natural growth
period comes to an end.

--
Neil

Visit my Peak District walking website - www.peakwalking.co.uk

"Neil Tonks" wrote after
"Mike Lyle" replied to ...
keith who wrote:
I am growing red baron & stuttgarter giant?.Do you have to wait
until
the leaves have started to die back,bend them over lift and dry.Or
can you just pick the decent sized onions straight from the ground
when needed & straight in to the kitchen to use?
Sorry if this is a stupid Q ,first time veg grower here!


Onions are only 'ripened' in the way you describe in order to extend their
keeping qualities. If you need onions for cooking and have some in the
garden of a suitable size, then use 'em!

Quite agree.

I never bend over onion tops either - it's supposed to hasten the end of
active growth and thus start the 'ripening' process but as far as I can
see all it does is bruise the stem and make it easier for decay to set in!
The tops will lie down of their own accord when the onion's natural growth
period comes to an end.


Yes, they do it for themselves and don't need any help. Of course if you are
a tidy gardener then once the tops have flopped over you can point them all
in the same direction. :-)
But don't shade the other onions from the drying sun.
--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Thanks Guys
veg growing is a massive learning curve with this year being the first.It is
knowing the sowing & cropping times I am having to learn,but I suppose this
comes with experience in knowing your own conditions and what grows well for
you.

--
Thanks Keith,Nottingham,England,UK.
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Neil Tonks" wrote after
"Mike Lyle" replied to ...
keith who wrote:
I am growing red baron & stuttgarter giant?.Do you have to wait
until
the leaves have started to die back,bend them over lift and dry.Or
can you just pick the decent sized onions straight from the ground
when needed & straight in to the kitchen to use?
Sorry if this is a stupid Q ,first time veg grower here!


Onions are only 'ripened' in the way you describe in order to extend
their
keeping qualities. If you need onions for cooking and have some in the
garden of a suitable size, then use 'em!

Quite agree.

I never bend over onion tops either - it's supposed to hasten the end of
active growth and thus start the 'ripening' process but as far as I can
see all it does is bruise the stem and make it easier for decay to set
in!
The tops will lie down of their own accord when the onion's natural
growth
period comes to an end.


Yes, they do it for themselves and don't need any help. Of course if you
are
a tidy gardener then once the tops have flopped over you can point them
all
in the same direction. :-)
But don't shade the other onions from the drying sun.
--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Keith, I was told by old onion growers that when about 75 percent of the
tops have fallen over, bend over the rest. Then in 10 to 12 days pull them,
wash them and cut the greens off, and lay them in the shade (inside would be
better), where the air can circulate around them for another 10 days to
cure. I have followed their advice for the past 7 years and haven't found
any reason not to continue.

Curing the onions will make them last longer in storage than those not
cured. Bending the tops over is supposed to allow the growth and nutrients
go into the onion rather than the greens. Everyone has their own idea and
you are entitled to pick and choose which you accept.

Dwayne



"keith ;-)" wrote in message
...
I am growing red baron & stuttgarter giant?.Do you have to wait until the
leaves have started to die back,bend them over lift and dry.Or can you
just
pick the decent sized onions straight from the ground when needed &
straight
in to the kitchen to use?
Sorry if this is a stupid Q ,first time veg grower here!
--
Thanks Keith,Nottingham,England,UK.

"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
: Keith, I was told by old onion growers that when about 75 percent of the
: tops have fallen over, bend over the rest. Then in 10 to 12 days pull
them,
: wash them and cut the greens off, and lay them in the shade (inside would
be
: better), where the air can circulate around them for another 10 days to
: cure. I have followed their advice for the past 7 years and haven't found
: any reason not to continue.
:
: Curing the onions will make them last longer in storage than those not
: cured. Bending the tops over is supposed to allow the growth and
nutrients
: go into the onion rather than the greens. Everyone has their own idea and
: you are entitled to pick and choose which you accept.
:
: Dwayne
:
:
According to GQT (Real Gardeners not pretend ones lol!) you should never
bend over onion tops ... and that's good enough for me

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 09:43:17 +0100, "michael adams"
wrote:

The reason usually given for bending over the stalks is that if there's
a wet period leading up to the day when the onions stop making any top
growth ( this is determined by a precise day-length according to variety)
then the onions may be induced to produce a flower stalk which may also
produce splits in the bulb, as might a late spurt in top growth of any kind.
As well as diverting energy which should have gone into bulb formation.
Whereas bending over the stalks, without actually breaking or wounding
the leaves, in theory should constrict the passage of sap up into
the leaves.

So everything probably depends on geography i.e day length, the day length
of the variety being used and the temperture and rainfall during the
critical period.

michael adams

So if onions start to flower, as one solitary example in my small veg
patch has decided to do, should the flower bud be removed, left, the
onion ignored etc. ...

JB

"Robert" wrote in message
...

:
According to GQT (Real Gardeners not pretend ones lol!) you should never
bend over onion tops ... and that's good enough for me

So who are the pretend gardeners?
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

I cut them off the garlic while they are still little, and put them in stew
or cook them in with the meat. My onions have started to fall over this
year without putting up any seed pod. If they had, I would have used them
the same way.

Dwayne

"JB" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 09:43:17 +0100, "michael adams"
wrote:

The reason usually given for bending over the stalks is that if there's
a wet period leading up to the day when the onions stop making any top
growth ( this is determined by a precise day-length according to variety)
then the onions may be induced to produce a flower stalk which may also
produce splits in the bulb, as might a late spurt in top growth of any
kind.
As well as diverting energy which should have gone into bulb formation.
Whereas bending over the stalks, without actually breaking or wounding
the leaves, in theory should constrict the passage of sap up into
the leaves.

So everything probably depends on geography i.e day length, the day length
of the variety being used and the temperture and rainfall during the
critical period.

michael adams

So if onions start to flower, as one solitary example in my small veg
patch has decided to do, should the flower bud be removed, left, the
onion ignored etc. ...

JB