When your onion plants start to flower, it can be a bit of a dilemma. On one hand, the flowers are quite beautiful and can add a lovely touch to your garden. On the other hand, allowing your onions to flower can take energy away from bulb development, resulting in smaller onions. So, what should you do when your onion plants start to flower?
1. Enjoy the Beauty: First and foremost, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the onion flowers. They can be quite striking, with their tall stalks and round flower heads. They can add a unique element to your garden and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. So, if you’re not too concerned about bulb size, let the flowers bloom and enjoy their aesthetic appeal.
2. Remove the Flowers: If you’re growing onions primarily for their bulbs, it’s best to remove the flowers as soon as you notice them. This will redirect the plant’s energy towards bulb development. Simply snip off the flower stalks close to the base of the plant using clean pruning shears or scissors. Be careful not to damage the leaves or bulbs in the process.
3. Harvest the Onions: If your onion plants have already started to form bulbs, and you’re satisfied with their size, it’s time to harvest them. Keep an eye on the foliage and wait for the tops to start turning yellow and drying out. Once this happens, gently dig up the bulbs, being careful not to bruise or damage them. Allow the bulbs to cure in a cool, dry place for a couple of weeks before storing them.
4. Let Some Flower: If you have a few extra onions or don’t mind sacrificing bulb size for the sake of beauty, you can let some plants flower. This can be especially rewarding if you have a large enough garden to accommodate both flowering and non-flowering onions. Just remember that the ones allowed to flower may not produce as large of bulbs as those that had their flowers removed.
5. Save Seeds: Allowing your onion plants to flower and go to seed can also be an option if you’re interested in saving seeds for future planting. However, keep in mind that onion seeds are usually not true to type, meaning the offspring may not resemble the parent plant. If you’re new to seed saving, it can be a fun experiment, but if you’re looking for consistency, it’s best to purchase fresh onion seeds each year.
When your onion plants start to flower, you have a few options. You can enjoy the beauty of the flowers and let them bloom, or you can remove the flowers to redirect the plant’s energy towards bulb development. Harvesting the onions and letting some plants flower can also be viable choices. And if you’re interested in seed saving, allowing your onions to go to seed can be a fun experiment. Ultimately, the choice depends on your priorities and preferences as a gardener.
