# Come on Onions! Don't bolt.....



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I was feeding my onions today & noticed that their bulbing. The plants are epic. Hope they make some monsters. Fingers & toes crossed. This is my favorite veggie. Big honkin onions are to die for.
Even the reds look good. I'm praying!


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I'm pulling for dude !!!!!
Jerry


----------



## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Fantastic Randy! Strong, health plants from the get-go really do grow fast in the right conditions.

I'm jealous of your red onions. They can be very finicky. I can occasionally grow some really big yellows and whites, but I have yet to get a red bigger than a golf ball.

Keep us posted!


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Dick Hanks said:


> Fantastic Randy! Strong, health plants from the get-go really do grow fast in the right conditions.
> 
> I'm jealous of your red onions. They can be very finicky. I can occasionally grow some really big yellows and whites, but I have yet to get a red bigger than a golf ball.
> 
> Keep us posted!


Dick if things work out my reds might out perform my sweet onions. That would be something I've never seen. I have about a 100 reds & 300 sweet onions.
In the past I've gotten some good reds but as years go by the reds were lacking performance & I was actually gonna stop growing them. Kinda like squash.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I've never been able to positively predict "bolting". A lot of the literature says that cold snaps can lead to bolting but my experience here in East Tex is somewhat mixed on that. For example, the recent/current cool weather IMO helps slow down the plants and tends to minimize bolting....whereas a stretch of very warm weather can induce bolting. 

It is supposedly all about stress...more stress = more bolting. 

I was worried back end of Feb. with all that warm weather that we were going to have a lot of bolting...but now not so much. 

I'm with Randy and pulling for no bolting!

You can't store any that bolt and may as well pull them and eat them cause they aren't going to put anything into the bulb after bolting. Does it help to clip off the buds? Not sure, but I always do it...still can't store any onion that has bolted even with clipping. That's my 2cents worth on bolting.


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> I've never been able to positively predict "bolting". A lot of the literature says that cold snaps can lead to bolting but my experience here in East Tex is somewhat mixed on that. For example, the recent/current cool weather IMO helps slow down the plants and tends to minimize bolting....whereas a stretch of very warm weather can induce bolting.
> 
> It is supposedly all about stress...more stress = more bolting.
> 
> ...


Agree ! Guess will see. Man the stalks are awesome. You know the one positive note is the nights are cool well really chili. And the daylight is still good. It might work Lark. I'm hoping we end up picking them early.


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I was taught by my Grandpa's to never buy sets that were real big,but the size of a pencil was what to look for,because big sets will bolt early.Don't know if it's true or not,but aint gonna risk it.


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Lark we all have google & we use it. But reading is one thing & doing it is another thing. I'll never claim to be a master gardener because I'm always facing the elements while raising a crop. The weather, bugs, no rain, to much rain, & the list goes on. Every year is different.
Don't forget the critters The mocks poking a hole in each & every mater, the bunny who eats every plant you just planted, then the time you have your eye on the best lope you've ever grown only to find Mr Bunny has wollered it out and is living in it.
One year I planted my fall garden & was happy as a Lark. LOL then I left the gate open to my garden & found the chooks had got in the garden and ate all my plants. They loved the spinach that I was so proud of. The carrot tops were history.
Even this thread my onions look absolutely great. But will they bolt from looking back at my last onion crop I know some will & yes your right I always cut the seed off too. I think this year I'm just gonna pull them up & eat them first. I'm out of onions so why not.


----------



## The Driver. (May 20, 2004)

Rubberback said:


> I was feeding my onions today & noticed that their bulbing. The plants are epic. Hope they make some monsters. Fingers & toes crossed. This is my favorite veggie. Big honkin onions are to die for.
> Even the reds look good. I'm praying!


 My onions and carrots are looking great and will start harvesting some this weekend. I do have a few bolting.

RB didn't you plant some around Thanksgiving if my memory is correct?

That's when I like to plant mine.


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Actually I planted them a week before Thanksgiving per Meadowlark. I just follow larks advice that way if something goes wrong I blame it on him. LOL!
My carrots are looking good too. I got them in 2 different places in my garden.


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I found 4 plants that had bolted yesterday.Reckon that aint too bad outta 14 bunches.I always cut'um off.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

peckerwood said:


> I found 4 plants that had bolted yesterday.Reckon that aint too bad outta 14 bunches.I always cut'um off.


When did you plant? Seems like it was late?


----------



## The Driver. (May 20, 2004)

Started to pull some of the yellows up today. Not as big as RB's but the best I have produced.


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Looking good Driver! As of today I have no onions yet. Those onions grown the years before don't count. Their gone. History! LOL! I can only hope that god willing I'll get some nice onions. 
My onion plants look good in my eyes so I'm hoping & praying for some nice sweet onions.
I've never grown yellow onions just 1015's, reds, & texas traditions. O and the bunching onions that Lark gave me.
I really love sweet onions & red onions in my salad.


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I planted mine Feb 1st. Today while mowing down by my creek,I saw a bunch of wild onions that were bolting.


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Very good looking onions, Driver. They are consistently uniform. I always get one here and there that does not form a good bulb...and an occasional monster sized one...but those are amazingly consistent. 

Mine are about one week into bulbing and showing zero signs of bolting thus far. 

Love those sweet onions!!


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Correction on my post there Texas Legend onions. Don't no why I keep calling them Texas Tradition.


----------



## SwampRat (Jul 30, 2004)

One of these days I'm gonna have a bit of land where I can get some winter and full summer sun....and when I do, it's gonna be 'game on' for onions and okra.

Until then, y'all are doing a great job growing them!!


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

SwampRat said:


> One of these days I'm gonna have a bit of land where I can get some winter and full summer sun....and when I do, it's gonna be 'game on' for onions and okra.
> 
> Until then, y'all are doing a great job growing them!!


That's a great goal you set for yourself.I don't know how I lived all the years at my 1st house not having a good garden spot.


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

SwampRat said:


> One of these days I'm gonna have a bit of land where I can get some winter and full summer sun....and when I do, it's gonna be 'game on' for onions and okra.
> 
> Until then, y'all are doing a great job growing them!!


I'd start out small. Do a 24x32 garden! This will be plenty of space to start with.
Its a lot of work but very rewarding . You get to eat it! LOL!
Its not for everyone I can see that by this forum! There's only a handful of 2coolers that actually grow gardens. 
If they do grow them they never post up. All my gardens are fenced in to keep my chickens out. The fence helps with keeping other critters out but every now & again a bunny will get in. They will eat your whole garden. Use wire that they can't get through.


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I keep enough coyotes around I don't need a fence for wabbits!


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Noticed one of my reds is starting to bolt. This is normal. This year I'm gonna pick them when they bolt.


----------



## Sugars Pop (Jul 10, 2008)

RB
What type of fertilizer are you using? How often do you apply it?


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Fish emulsion. About every three weeks. I put dirt from my compost pile, till in make my rows & plant. Then along the way I add a side from compost bin . Then fish emulsion. This year I did mushroom compost as my side. Been growing them like this for years. I always have some that bolt every year.


----------

