Re: here is my onion problem.......er..... opportunity

-----Original Message-----
From: Debby Mullaney and Chris Hobbs <DebbynChris@earthlink.net>
To: veggie-list@eskimo.com <veggie-list@eskimo.com>
Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 6:03 PM
Subject: here is my onion problem.......er..... opportunity


>I planted some big valdia onions last April 19,( I recorded it) ,from
>seed, they areSTILL in the ground, the bulbs are about 3" in dia. the
>tops are very tall and still green.
> I am not sure what the package said on the grow time for this onion,
>becuz it long since weathered away from the post I had it tacked to.
> I was under the impression that the tops will fall over and turn brown
>when the onions are ready for harvest.
> should that take (8 months) ? all my books say 80-120 days. and the
>package did say to plant in Aug for a winter crop. I think I missed that
>
>season , now its a summer crop.
> I did pull one the other day to cook with some cabbage , it was a good
>onion.
> Any sugestions?  keep in mind , I love big juicey onions , thats why
>I`m letting them grow, the store has bigger ones than what mine are now.
>
> I guess what I need to know is will they be ok to let grow?
>
> Chris   zone 9 ,   central Florida.

When you said you planted last August, I thought I understood the issue.
But if you really planted a year ago in April (which is way too late), then
I would assume they grew a little in the spring, went dormant during the
long hot summer, then grew again in the fall.  This sometimes happens if you
leave small onions in the spring when harvesting.  But they usually form a
clump of 3 and don't form good bulbs - something like what you get when to
try to save some of the smaller bulbs as sets for use next season.  Check
the roots.  If there is a clump of several at each plant, then you have very
large, succulent, tasty, green bunching onions.  If it is a single bulb, it
should become a large dry onion.  If it's a single bulb,  I would break over
the tops to keep them from prematurely bolting to seed as the weather warms
(others may disagree - try it both ways).

The University of Florida Cooperative Extension System recommends planting
from seed from mid September to mid November (depending on whether you live
in North, Central or South Florida.  They also list a number of recommended
Grano and Granex Varieties.  As I recall, the Vidalia onion is a Granex type
that is grown within a specific geographical boundary near Vidalia GA -
optimum climate, soil, etc. - and it must be grown there or it can't be
called "Vidalia".  Take a look at the U of F Onion web page at
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/scripts/htmlgen.exe?DOCUMENT_CV128.   It should
answer all of your questions (except if your current crop will be
okay).  -Olin
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