Jap Onions - to pull or not to pull

[posie]

My jap onions appear to have been bolting, I've been pulling the little caps off them, but I noticed a few of them today have little tiny flowers on top, should I be pulling them up now?

[posie]

[manicscousers]

we've been using them when they go like this for a couple of weeks now, seems it's the red ones, again..may not bother next year  :-\

[posie]

Blimey that was fast manics! I think it's my red ones too.

[PurpleHeather]

They bolt when they get dry.

Something in their in built system:- to reproduce before the drought sets in.

It we get a dry spell onions need to be watered.

Too late now but watch out in future

[posie]

Thanks for the info purpleheather.  :)

[manicscousers]

Blimey that was fast manics! I think it's my red ones too.

I've just been pulling the flower heads off my red onions again, it's happened over the last 2 years, the bed is very good, moisture retaining soil, I just think red onions bolt more than others  :)
anyway, they're just as good to use now, just a bit small
by the way, the overwintering red ones in the poly border are growing like mad and you can't get much drier than in there  ;D

[PurpleHeather]

Yes, Red onions do seem to go to seed first.

If you have not had problems growing under cover then it could be that there is enough moisture under the soil or, more likely, the humidity in the poly tunnel effects the plant's system control more than the moisture level under the soil. Interesting.

[ninnyscrops]

My white ones are starting to bolt too - but they've got loads of spent hops as a mulch and the soil has been always damp underneath  ???

[cambourne7]

pull them and make some french onion soup

[ninnyscrops]

Haven't grown any croutons this year tho'  ;D

[glosterwomble]

I've been pulling mine for about a fortnight and yes it is the red ones that apear to be bolting first. I must admit that I might not do them next year, a lot of work for not much return.

[djbrenton]

Heat treated sets are less prone to bolting.

[ninnyscrops]

Mine were Taylor's sets - same variety as I grew last year and didn't have a problem. Maybe that hot spell we had earlier in the year confused them?