I have recently started a small garden and am doing some "natural" recycling. I am planting onions sprouted from leftovers from cooking and I am wondering how many I will need to plant in order for them to pollinate properly. Also, what all natural "predators" do onions have? I am also wondering if the onions will sprout like this even if I cut off more of it during the cutting up and cooking process or if I should always leave this much? How many flowers will this one produce?
I couldn't find out about their natural preadtors but I did find out how to grow them. Here are some sites on how to grow them: www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h247onion.html www.ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1616html You might want to leave the onion hole. Blake09
Ooh, I've never seen onions started from leftovers like that! How did you do that, just leave them lying out?
Thanks for the input Blake 09, I'll check out those links. Actually Layla I just saved that bit of a large onion to add to something else in the next day or so but then plans changed and I put it off. When next I looked at the onion I could see it starting to sprout so I just left it in the crisper and watched it. Soon it sprouted well then I planted it. I have a friend in Australia who has done this on purpose more than once or twice. and he says he does the same thing just wraps them in plastic wrap and lets it sit in the fridge. The thing is it has to be cut cross-ways I believe to leave the roots intact And from what I've been told..., if all goes right it should flower and then turn into a "seed head" (attached pics with the first one being a red onion and the other being a brown onion) some time in mid to late summer. This should give me many seeds and then I am planting onions to pick and this one will continue to flower and produce seeds for some time if I just let it grow, plus I can let one or two of the other ones grow to seed also. I like the idea of getting to eat part of it and then getting to plant the rest but considering the cost of one or two onions at the grocery store versus the ability to plant them and get hundreds of seeds makes it worth the expense of planting them whole.
Deer will nosh on your scallions, and yes they will seed without any help. Plant the seeds after they sprout from blooming, and presto: new edibles to harvest.
This is what I am going for with these I am planting. Oh..., lol, and any deer noshing in my garden run the risk of getting noshed on by my family and myself...while I DO love vegetables I am by no means an herbivore.
Ok, the following pictures are in left to right order of age since I planted it with the one on the left being eight days ago, the middle one six days ago, and the one on the right being from today. I have two questions if someone could please answer them I would be really appreciative. First would I be harming or helping this plant if I were to cut off the drooping wilted parts? Second should I cover this plants cage with plastic to protect it on nights when it gets down into the teens and there is going to be a heavy frost?
No harm in trimming but I would let good enough left alone, as far as temps... onions can take the freezing temperatures, but cover them only with burlap if you must... not plastic....
Ok thanks, then I'll just leave it alone for now. Since they can take the freezing temps does this mean they are fine exposed to snow and sleet of would that be the time for the burlap?
Thank you KB, it is forcasted to be in the teens here for the next few days with a possible wintery mix. It sleeted earlier today but hardly enough to notice.. only hearing it it the leaves and watching it bounce no build up but I was wondering if I should take any precautions.
One more question...is there a "miracle grow" type product that helps onions grow stronger or hardier?
I would make manure tea, soak manure in a garbage can stir, and serve as needed... one 20kg. bag to one water filled rubbish bin...
Thanks, I'll probably make a somewhat smaller batch considering the time of year and what litttle I have growing but I'll give it a shot. I used to dig out the stall floors in our barn at the family cattle farm when I was younger and then till it into the soil of my small garden at home in the late fall or winter. Thanks for all you input, it is much appreciated.
The freezing temps killed off the green growth, but there are some new shoots. I have some winter onions I need to get in the ground, I'll take more pics tomorrow and post.
"Isn't winter almost over for you " if it is then the heat would kill the heat kill the winter onions.. we onley have one more month and then it is spring.
