onions with very big stalks

radiat

hi,
I've a batch of onions growing and they are huge! A few have rot while growing in the ground, i expect it's because the ground is wet and the soil is too rich.

The size of the stalks relative to the onions are massive. Why would this be so? I'm concerned they'll all rot when i try and store them.

Cardinal Richelieu

radiat wrote: »

hi,
I've a batch of onions growing and they are huge! A few have rot while growing in the ground, i expect it's because the ground is wet and the soil is too rich.

The size of the stalks relative to the onions are massive. Why would this be so? I'm concerned they'll all rot when i try and store them.

Bolting? Plant is running to seed so that big stalk is a central stem that has a flower on top.

radiat

i don't think so.

There isn't one main stalk. Different stalks are growing and then dying as new stalks appear.

Just had a look at some images of onion bolting on line and they're definitely not bolting

Cardinal Richelieu

radiat wrote: »

i don't think so.

There isn't one main stalk. Different stalks are growing and then dying as new stalks appear.

Well a photo would help but usually excess foliage growth is due to high nitrogen.

radiat

there's loads of manure in soil would that be a source of excessive nitrogen?

Cardinal Richelieu

radiat wrote: »

there's loads of manure in soil would that be a source of excessive nitrogen?

That might be your answer.

radiat

next question.
Would the large stalks cause problems with storage ie. rotting? I pulled up some two weeks ago and they haven't dryed out yet

Thanks for the advice

Cardinal Richelieu

radiat wrote: »

next question.
Would the large stalks cause problems with storage ie. rotting? I pulled up some two weeks ago and they haven't dryed out yet

Thanks for the advice

Where are you drying them? My grandfather use to dry his hanging them from string in the greenhouse in a good summer. I know the commercial guys in Ireland have to use huge hot air blowers for a few days to really dry the onions to develop the outer cured skin needed for good storage.

muckyhands

Possibly stupid question but here goes- could shallots and onions have been mixed up?

Was just thinking it could explain multiple stalks if what you planted as onions could actually be shallots?

tommycahir

muckyhands wrote: »

Possibly stupid question but here goes- could shallots and onions have been mixed up?

Was just thinking it could explain multiple stalks if what you planted as onions could actually be shallots?

This is actually what happened me his year! Am raging as was looking foRward to some nice home grown onions and ended up with a crap load of shallots instead...

radiat

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Where are you drying them? My grandfather use to dry his hanging them from string in the greenhouse in a good summer. I know the commercial guys in Ireland have to use huge hot air blowers for a few days to really dry the onions to develop the outer cured skin needed for good storage.

Just lying in the shed! I'm guessing that's wrong?

muckyhands wrote: »

Possibly stupid question but here goes- could shallots and onions have been mixed up?

Was just thinking it could explain multiple stalks if what you planted as onions could actually be shallots?

No they're definitely onions. They're the way onions normally look, stalks is the wrong word, leafs is definitely wrong too, i don't know what the proper name is.

I'll get a photo.