Last fall I planted onion and shallot sets in my raised bed. They look like they are doing beautifully. When friends and relatives were over for Easter yesterday one of them said that my shallots won't be any good because I'm letting them flower. It's true that they are forming buds, but if that person is correct, can I still save them some how?
It is true that when an onion flowers it diverts all of the plants energy into making seeds. They are usable as green (salad) onions before that flower head fully forms. There are folks who pinch out the flower buds in hopes of slowing them down, but it has never worked for me.
Did you really plant "sets" ( small dry onion bulblets)? I ask because these are almost always long day onions. When planted in the fall, when spring comes they jump up and say AHA, it is time to seed. (Onions are biennials programed to seed the second year. Winter dormancy triggers them) Short day onions of course are designed to grow in the winter but are only available as seeds or plants.
Lastly shallot is usually a common name for a multiplier onion. These send up multiple plants from a single bulb and each plant acts independently forming a cluster of bulbs. All the ones I am familiar with are dug in the fall and replanted in the spring, altho I suppose it is possible to just leave them in the ground like a wild onion. Like single stalk onions the ones that flower are only good for green onions
Thanks for responding so fast Farmerdill.
I bought the "bulblets" from a garden center last fall and planted them towards the end of October. They have been marching along merrily ever since. I don't have the lable/directions anymore, but I seem to recall that it said to plant in the fall and harvest the next summer. Only the "shallots" are starting to form the flower heads right now.
In your opinion should I just go ahead and pull the ones flowering? I have plenty of bunching onions for use as "green onions".
Dan, Pull some Friday and use to garnish brats on Saturday! I have never used green shallots but green garlic is wonderful in stir frys etc... I think they would be tasty grilled. Spring sweet onions called "Mexican Grilling Onions" are sold as street food. They look like bunching onions only have started to bulb and have a bud. Bring some and we can all test them!
OK...I can do that!
