onions? when to harvest

[MamaGreen]

i'm growing onions this year for the first time and i have no idea when to harvest them? the set package said when the tops turn brown but internet says when the tops are 10-15" in hight. anyone have a difinitive answer on this one?

 

[CasualGrower]

What kind of onions are ya growing? White or Yellow.... maybe some of the larger varieties like Vadalia or Texas White....

Good rule of thumb on onions though.... When the green tops start to form seed pods, the onion is pretty much finished. but they can be left in the ground for quite some time.

 

[godspeedsuckah]

When the green tops start to form seed pods, the onion is pretty much finished. but they can be left in the ground for quite some time.

I think that is incorrect. When the seed pod forms its time to get rid of the onioin, it will not form anymore and is not big at all.

http://www.oniongardening.com/harvesting-green-onions

"Be warned that bolting, or when the plants start to produce flower stalks, can happen under certain circumstances when growing onions. In these cases, it’s best to pull out these plants as soon as possible and use the green onions. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use these onions as bulb onions. "

 

[MamaGreen]

thanks guys, they're just ordinary white table onions. but basically i need to pull them this week then

 

[CasualGrower]

I was not talking about harvesting for use as Green Onions.... I was talking about larger mature onions... and yes it is true that once it has gone to seed you cannot use the bulb to grow more green onions. But that will not hurt the large mature onion bulb. Though, I will say that the longer the onion stays in the ground, the stronger it can get once it is matured.... I like strong onions though ).

 

[godspeedsuckah]

My point is you do not go by the onion flowering to determine if it is ready or not. Onions are biennial, they automatically flower every 2 years or if there is a severe fluctuation in temperature that particular year. I have onions which were planted 3 weeks ago and one is throwing a flower already (not close to done yet.) You can tell they are done when the leaves fall over.

 

[CasualGrower]

NP. GSS... I am just speaking from experience from 20 years of helping my father plant and harvest a garden..... there will always be times when what happens is not the norm..... we Always set onions from bulbs or more commonly referred to as Onion Sets. We never grew the onions for Salad onions or Green onions...We always went for mature onions... They keep MUCH more readily. ....

This being said, I do admit that I am NOT an onion Professional... Just a guy that has planted onions and never had to buy them 8)....... that being said... I would like a good way to Kill them without putting the soil in a microwave and nuking them heh..... for my wildlife plots anyway...... Wildlife will eat them but only as a last result heh......