Garden And Gossip Forums

I personally think the statement is utter tripe, mine get dried on a slated shelf. I use those net bags supermarkets get you to buy for veg and hang them in the shed to store.

(06-08-2021, 09:14 AM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]Maybe Broadway could give us a link to the original comment?

It was on FB somewhere Veggie, I'd never find it again

So you could have made it up just to taunt us.

It is recommended that you leave some leaves on allium flower bulbs which feed the bulb as they die back, this is possibly where the idea of not bending over the onion leaves came from, and unless someone has hard scientific proof, how can we say what Broadway says is right or wrong, personally I think doing it is too much faff so will be harvesting and drying as I have always done, bending the leaf over and hoping for enough warm sun to dry for storing

(06-08-2021, 07:19 PM)Spec Wrote: [ -> ]It is recommended that you leave some leaves on allium flower bulbs which feed the bulb as they die back, this is possibly where the idea of not bending over the onion leaves came from, and unless someone has hard scientific proof, how can we say what Broadway says is right or wrong, personally I think doing it is too much faff so will be harvesting and drying as I have always done, bending the leaf over and hoping for enough warm sun to dry for storing

I don't have hard scientific evidence but I think most plants retrieve any nutrients from their leaves as they die off. Bracken definitely does as it turns brown, any nutrients are returned to the roots for use the following year, same with trees. Likely most plants do including onions. I let the onions die off somewhat before lifting and drying. Mine are still looking green at the moment but should start to ripen soon I hope, bedford champion sowed 10/01/21. Daffodils should be allowed to die down before mowing to strengthen the bulbs for next year.

This article is a bit complex but seems to say that the trees studied reabsorb some of the nutrients before parting with the leaves with varying efficiencies.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...2706001319

and this one suggests plants move nutrients about the plant to where they will do the plant most good, which in Autumn would be the bulb.

https://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/Nutrie...in_plants/

Another point is that generally, leaf mould, though good for the soil, is nutrient poor.

^^^^ that's why leafmold is recommended for seed sowing

Once the leaves have toppled I lift onions. At present I have the Japanese onions I harvested earlier placed upside down (using a dog cage as a drying rack.)
Even if nutrients do travel back into the onion from the dying leaves I don't think this would be reliant on gravity. Once dried I store my onions initially on the greenhouse staging then hung in a net   outdoors. Its just easier for me to go to the back door if I need an onion and storing outdoors seems to keep them plump and they get an odd shower from the rain.I just top the net bag up with onions as I need them.
Sometimes, if I don't need the land I just let the onions get on with it and dry off naturally in-situ. Usually though they get weed infested and it is easier to lift the onions than weed around them!

Thanks all, I have lifted my onions today and they are hanging the the blowaway GH for the moment. I will take them home in a week or two where they will go on the rack, same as what Vinny has done.

After that I've not decided yet, last year I ended up hanging them in Mrs B's old tights

(07-08-2021, 12:03 PM)Broadway Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks all, I have lifted my onions today and they are hanging the the blowaway GH for the moment. I will take them home in a week or two where they will go on the rack, same as what Vinny has done.

After that I've not decided yet, last year I ended up hanging them in Mrs B's old tights

I bet that was uncomfortable for her!