Onion tops, Can you cut them?

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lilmissy

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Was going to cut off my green onion tops while the onions are still growing in the garden To freeze for winter use. But from what I read some say it is best not to do so, while others say it is good for the Onion bulb. Has anyone cut the tops off while in the garden with success?
 
Comparing other root plants, like narcissus, to spring onion, you can take this with a grain of salt.
I was taught that after the flowers bloom, we leave the foliage so the root, or tuber or rhizome, can continue to collect nutrients for strength to produce again the following year. At the end of growth for the foliage, cut it off at ground level, or an inch or so above.
So, to me, it would stand to reason, that if the underground growing onion doesn't have the greenery growing above ground, it will stifle or prevent decent growth below ground, and defeat the purpose.
However, things like chives, you can harvest some of the greens, but less than a third.
Onion greens gather energy to help the onion grow.
Good luck.
 
No, but you could. I snip them into little pieces with scissors, then dehydrate on a mat. They look just like the dehydrated chives at the grocery store, only free. I like free. I do the same for my chives. They taste similar. The green stuff I powder is usually kale, spinach, stuff like that.
 
Hi guys, I have a question. This year I grew shallots, can anyone tell me how to select, prepare, and plant for next year using part of the crop I have? I pulled about 5 gallons of them this morning and hope to harvest the rest this evening. I need to figure out how and when to do another planting from this crop. Any recommendations for ammending the soil prior to replanting? Thanks
 
Hi guys, I have a question. This year I grew shallots, can anyone tell me how to select, prepare, and plant for next year using part of the crop I have? I pulled about 5 gallons of them this morning and hope to harvest the rest this evening. I need to figure out how and when to do another planting from this crop. Any recommendations for ammending the soil prior to replanting? Thanks

Hope this helps,

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/store-shallots-grow-next-year-73081.html
 
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Awsome! Thanks.

Thinking back my grandpa had a screen shelf that he used to dry onions, so I think I will make a 2X6 shelf to dry mine out on. I went ahead and ordered new sets of onions and shallots for next year, I plan to do fall planting. I have an 8'X3' bed on the south side of the house and they grew well there this year.
 
Well, I am going to cut some of the greens. What the heck, why not. @Amish Heart , when you dehydrate, are you grinding them afterwards?Thank everyone for the help.
I have a nesting onion & gave a friend one ring of them, about 6 bulbs. Next spring He had them in a kiddie pool full of compost. The six rings/nest was the biggest I have ever seen, but the height of the green was a different size.
When I ask why, he said his wife cuts them for salads & he had give many onions away.
So I would say, it will not hurt, if it does, it will make the bulb smaller, but you get tons of greens.
I got HOSS Natsuguro Bunching onions for the first time, so I can greens year a round.
 
I always cut the flower tops off, it seems to help in bulb growth, this is especially true in getting elephant garlic to clove, otherwise you'll just get a large bulb. It's good to have onion and garlic leaves, however I believe the flower tops take a lot of energy and you may not get as much bulb if they are not removed, at least that's what I've seen over the years.
 
I always cut the flower tops off, it seems to help in bulb growth, this is especially true in getting elephant garlic to clove, otherwise you'll just get a large bulb. It's good to have onion and garlic leaves, however I believe the flower tops take a lot of energy and you may not get as much bulb if they are not removed, at least that's what I've seen over the years.
With true garlic the scapes are cut & used in cooking & the bulbs get bigger, spacing & water is important too.
The only onion we let bloom are a few to collect seeds, that why I like walking & nesting onion, they spead slowly on their on.
 
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With true garlic the scapes are cut & used in cooking & the bulbs get bigger, spacing & water is important too.
The only onion we let bloom are a few to collect seeds, that why I like walking & nesting onion, they spead slowly on their on.
Lets talk about Saving the onion seeds and planting the seeds. I havent ever had luck with that.
 
We cut the flower tops as the come out of the leaves when the stem is still very tender, when they are cooked they are a lot like asparagus in flavor and texture.
 
My brother in law, can grow anything, build anything & make money on anything he sets his mind to.
He plants onions in a large 20 gallion pot & let them go to seed, fall to the soil in the pot, then pull up the mature onions.
In spring he thin the young onion, the ones he remove are put in trays & transplanted into his garden.
He plants his elephant garlic(leek) under his single row of muscadine grape, he has about ten rows, 25 feet long.
I wait till my onions blooms start to turn brown, I cut the stem about an inch or two long & drop them in a dry brown paper bag for six weeks.
Six weeks later, or anytime after six weeks, roll down the top of the bag, like a lunch bag, tape it & shake it, rest 7 shake it again, open it.
Once open, remove the flower & look for seeds in the flower, it should not have any, if it does, wait another week.
If it is empty, remove each head & the little black seeds are the onion seeds, there will be bits /trash in seeds.
I know many people who plant rows of seed baring plants in rows, a seed tray width apart, then put down the seed tray when the time is right & the seeds fall on the soil & the tray is moved to the green house, if it is fall.
 

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