Remove or leave them?

myclayjungle · 6 March

1st time growing onions last year-new soil and full sun. I did harvest some, but the majority never went brown and instead just stayed green! The bulbs are obviously soft now, so any recipes to use the greenery? Should I just clear the lot and start again elsewhere? If I left these for another year, would an edible onion grow or just a flower stalk?

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Obelixx · 6 March

You can use the green part as you would spring onions so in Champ - Irish mashed potatoes - or oriental dishes.

I very much doubt you'll get onions by leaving them to grow so you need to pull the lot, weed and then refresh the soil with some well-rotted manure or garden compost and plant something different. You can still plant onion and shallot sets if you're quick but not in the same bed or you'll leave your crop liable to disease and pests.

Brassicas would be a good choice - rocket, broccoli, cabbages etc

https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/crop-rotation for more info.

Busy-Lizzie · 6 March

I think they will produce a flower and go to seed.

Do what @Obelixx says. When they look big enough to harvest you could dig them up and leave them somewhere warm to dry. I used to put mine on a wall.

bertrand-mabel · 6 March

I use the green stems in soups and other meals. Never throw anything away that could be used.

myclayjungle · 7 March

Thank you everyone. The beds are cleared and the 1st lot of onion shoots have been chopped and added to a stew. Yum.

Remove or leave them?

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