When I have planted onions in more "regular" good soil, I have done well. When I have planted them in looser and more amended soil, they seem to not size up as well.

Wayne, that's probably part of my problem here. I put in the same bulk soil and compost without planning what'll be planted there. Hopefully next year, the soil won't be so rich.

I wonder if I harvest these onion now what will they taste like? Since this is the first year I grew dry onion, I wonder if I can use these huge unripe onion bulb/greens like regular onions. If they'll taste strange, then I'd rather wait till they're fully mature (the top dried up like many mentioned on this forum).

Bluebird...you don't say what kind of red onions you have. Onions bulb based on the amount of daylight. I believe that you are are in a long daylight area, the onions should have been a long daylight variety

Also, your spring and this summer has been much like ours here in Oregon. It has been wet and cool. I think that it is way too soon to think about harvest. The onions will be ready to harvest after the tops fall over and START TO DIE. Unless it rains a lot there is no damage done to leave them in the ground after they are no longer growing. So be patient. My onions here are well behind other previous crops. A rule of thumb I use is to stop watering after the 4th of July...but this year I will extend that date. Good Luck!

Wait until at least August. I think your onions are going to be huge and delicious and well worth the wait. keep them growing the longer the better.

If the tops of the onions are getting "buds" what do you do? Are they ready for harvest?

Blue birdie...I was wrong about your growing zone...you area intermediate daylight are, and should grow varieties suited for this

erdoc...onions start to flower, just cut the flower tops off. You want the plant's energy going to the bulb not the flower

Here is a link that might be useful: Great source for info and seedlings

Lonmower, the red onion sold at the store did not say what daylength variety they are. I just assumed since it's sold locally, they probably picked the right variety for locals. You are very right that our spring this year was cool and wet. So the onions may be just behind like you said.

gardendogie, it's good to know I can just let them keep on growing. Don't mind the wait at all. I just thought if I leave them in the soil too long, they may rot or bolt like my bunching onion :-)

I learned the hard way about daylight sensitive onions. You said you bought the seedlings at a "home improvement center"...if this was a "big box" I doubt if they cared about this. The Dixondale farm web site is excellent, and no order is too small... it is worth a little extra $$ to plan ahead for next year and get the right seedlings

I will look into Dixondale farm this fall. Thanks for the tip.

Actually dry onion was not part of my planning at all because I didn't think there's enough space. But I was there during spring shopping, and bought it on impulse. Should have resisted... Must stick to the plan next time...

Ok not much clarified for me here..I grew red onions from sets right next to yellow onions..my yellow ones grew fine and the reds ..the size isn't worth concidering..1st time growing reds always successful with yellow..what gives? Got the sets at a local farm supply store.