What’s wrong with my onions? - Ask Extension
My hulb onions are growing multiple stems and seem to be dividing like chives. I planted fall sets of red and yellow onions but the exterior layers on...
Knowledgebase
What’s wrong with my onions? #858651
Asked February 06, 2024, 5:11 PM EST
My hulb onions are growing multiple stems and seem to be dividing like chives. I planted fall sets of red and yellow onions but the exterior layers on the bulbs seem rotten. I can peel them back to find a healthy onion underneath, but it isn’t really a bulb anymore. Additionally, a few of my onions have wilted and turned white at the end of the stems. Do I start over? Do I need to sterilize my soil, and can these onions be saved?
Linn County Oregon
Expert Response
Dear Madison,
Your onions have been damaged by the recent freeze and ice storm we had. They are growing new leaves because there was enough energy in the bulb to send new shoots out. The weather is warmer now and the sun is out so more food is being made by the shoots.
The translucent plant material is from the frost. The cells froze then thawed and they are dead.
You should cut off the damaged outer leaves down to a green part and throw them out. Then gently peel back the translucent material and remove it. You are preventing mold from occurring on the dead material.
The onion you are holding in your hand has good root growth. It can be replanted. Gently take off the brown dead part.
The reason the bulbs are now thin is because the plant is sending energy to the shoots from the bulb.
Plants are always looking to reproduce. They will grow again and may try to produce a flower. Take the flower off so the energy will then be directed to the bulb.
I am not sure you will get large bulbed onions, however, to protect them from further freezes, put a leaf or straw mulch around them to keep the soil and the roots warmer. The mulch should be 3 or 4 inches high. This will keep the the soil warm but also keep the rain from compacting the soil and drowning the onions.
Here is an article from Oregon State on growing onions: https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/no-need-tears-if-you-plant-onions-soon#:~:text=For%20larger%20onions%2C%20plant%20the,shallow%20rooted%2C%22%20Myers%20said.
One more publication from Washington State on growing onions: https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2071/2014/04/Onions-FS097E.pdf
The soil is most likely fine. There is no need to sterilize the soil. It would kill all the microbes in the soil that the roots depend on to make their nutrients available to the plant.
If you have further questions Madison, please contact us again.
Your onions have been damaged by the recent freeze and ice storm we had. They are growing new leaves because there was enough energy in the bulb to send new shoots out. The weather is warmer now and the sun is out so more food is being made by the shoots.
The translucent plant material is from the frost. The cells froze then thawed and they are dead.
You should cut off the damaged outer leaves down to a green part and throw them out. Then gently peel back the translucent material and remove it. You are preventing mold from occurring on the dead material.
The onion you are holding in your hand has good root growth. It can be replanted. Gently take off the brown dead part.
The reason the bulbs are now thin is because the plant is sending energy to the shoots from the bulb.
Plants are always looking to reproduce. They will grow again and may try to produce a flower. Take the flower off so the energy will then be directed to the bulb.
I am not sure you will get large bulbed onions, however, to protect them from further freezes, put a leaf or straw mulch around them to keep the soil and the roots warmer. The mulch should be 3 or 4 inches high. This will keep the the soil warm but also keep the rain from compacting the soil and drowning the onions.
Here is an article from Oregon State on growing onions: https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/no-need-tears-if-you-plant-onions-soon#:~:text=For%20larger%20onions%2C%20plant%20the,shallow%20rooted%2C%22%20Myers%20said.
One more publication from Washington State on growing onions: https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2071/2014/04/Onions-FS097E.pdf
The soil is most likely fine. There is no need to sterilize the soil. It would kill all the microbes in the soil that the roots depend on to make their nutrients available to the plant.
If you have further questions Madison, please contact us again.
