Accidental onion sets?

Cherryfudge

A couple of years ago I was given onion sets which I planted, watered, waited for the perfect moment to harvest... then neglected. They are still there but on closer inspection each is now a cluster of two or three small onions sitting more or less on the surface. Can I grow these babies on as with the original sets, and if so, what do I do and when please? And should I move them to new soil?

Sapindus

I would definitely move them to a new bit of soil.  If you are careful to tease them apart and replant straight away without damaging the roots, you should be able to do it now.  Dig some compost into the new site first. 

Are you sure they were onions, it sounds more like what shallots do.

Cherryfudge

Sapindus said:

I would definitely move them to a new bit of soil.  If you are careful to tease them apart and replant straight away without damaging the roots, you should be able to do it now.  Dig some compost into the new site first. 

Are you sure they were onions, it sounds more like what shallots do.

Thanks @Sapindus, I'll do just that. As far as I remember they are onions, white ones though I can't now find the packaging to tell you the variety. They are the size of shallots right now though so you may be right.

Slinky

That's interesting, I had too many onions to fit in the alloted space last year, so planted some alongside the rhubarb, which of course grew up and blocked the light to the onions. They are still there now, perhaps I can move them as I've got more space available this year.  The rhubarb is doing it's thing again and they'll be blocked out soon.

twopenny

I have tried to replant onions that didn't really grow one year.

They started off ok and grew but went to seed very quickly, before I got an onion of any type or size.

But they're free and so is the ground so worth a try.

Sapindus

And also, I get this most years with garlic where I have left a bulb behind.  I dig them up about now and use them green.

I agree that onions grown on for a second year are probably going to bolt (i.e. flower and seed).  But the fact these have propagated themselves vegetatively already makes me think it is worth a try.

Cherryfudge

Gardening has been paused while I had Covid, but the onions aren't forgotten. I'm hoping to replant in the next few days!

Mojisola

Onion sets are usually heat treated to kill off the flower bud and reduce bolting.  It's usually worth experimenting but don't be surprised if you get a patch of flowering onions.

Like sapindus, I think these sound like shallots.