Onions, wait to fall over for harvest?
itsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
5 years ago
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digdirt2
5 years agoLoneJack Zn 6a, KC
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoRelated Discussions
onion stalks falling over
Comments (11)The stalks falling over is completely normal. It is a sign that the bulbs are nearing maturity. When 75% of mine have fallen over on their own I push the rest of them over so that the bulbs will all be ready at essentially the same time. After pushing them over I let them remain in the ground for another couple of weeks or so and then pull them all up. Leave the tops on them, don't wash them, and don't worry too much about getting all of the soil off of them. Just get the bulk of it off. From there you have a couple of choices: You can either lay them out flat in a cool, dark, dry place with plenty of air circulation so they can dry or you can braid the tops and hang them in the same type of location. The important thing is to allow them to cure (dry) completely before you store them. I usually braid the tops of mine and sort of bind them with a bit of string. I have a small utility type room on the back of my house where I hang them up until dry. I leave them in their braided groups and just clip them off as needed for cooking. **Keep an eye on your onions once you dig and cure them. One rotting onion will rapidly rot the others around it. The ones that have flowered will be especially quick to rot. I don't normally even try to store those because it turns out to be such a waste of time....See MoreOnion (walla walla)- harvesting question
Comments (3)I *think* Walla Wallas should be harvested from June-August, and they do like they're going to flower. Also, (in case you didn't know) they don't keep very well, so break out your recipe book & use those beauties soon! Nice harvest BTW....See MoreWhen to harvest onions?
Comments (6)A few of mine have fallen over, but the leaves are still quite green. These are some of my red ones, the yellow onions are still standing tall, but have not seemed to bulb up yet. They were transplanted out on 4/15. Should I harvest the ones that have fallen over, or wait a bit longer until the leaves have turned brown?...See MoreOnion Harvest after Rain
Comments (3)For starters, i'd leave all the tops on while curing. Cutting anything off can lead to infection that will keep your onions from storing well. If you really want to cut some for the experiment, go easy and be sure to eat those onions first. As far as the rain. Persistent moisture while onions are finishing up can cause splitting and various mold/mildew issues. One soaking may not be a huge problem as onions keep sizing up from when the start to fall till they are all down, which usually takes a few weeks. Some moisture at this time is helpful. If they are really wet or more rain is predicted, you could pull one every day to check for problems. Then pull them all if necessary. -Mark...See MoreOldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
5 years agowolverine1012
5 years agoOldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
5 years agoitsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
5 years agoOldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoitsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
5 years agoprairiemoon2 z6b MA
4 years agoOldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
4 years agoprairiemoon2 z6b MA
4 years agoOldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoprairiemoon2 z6b MA
4 years agoOldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
4 years agowayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
4 years agoitsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
4 years agowcthomas
4 years agoOldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
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OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)