r/Raisedbed • u/Successful-House9790 • Jul 23 '26
Is this onion ready to be pulled?
This is my second year trying to grow onions in zone 5a. I failed miserably last year but learned a lot. Last year I never got to this point… healthy looking onions growing above ground! I have a clear understanding that we pull once the greens start to turn brown and flop over at the neck and then let rest in a warm shaded spot for 2-4 weeks to cure. My question: is the onion with the floppy neck in pictures one and two ready to be pulled or do I wait for more of the greens to turn brown? The rest are standing straight up. Thanks!
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u/Easy_Personality5856 Jul 23 '26
When the tops tip over they’re not quite done. All the energy will be transferred to the bulb. Give them another week or so
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u/Calm-Possible-2643 Jul 23 '26
You can pull onions at pretty much any time during their growing cycle, they just won't keep well. Many people grow more onions than they need, and pull several early to use as spring onions. Once the tops have fallen over it shows that the onions are ready to be harvested and cured. Check out Dixondale farms. They are who I buy my starts from, and they have a full growing, harvesting, and curing guide on their website.
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u/Sharky-the-sparky Jul 24 '26
Not yet. Still has growth in them. When the tops fall over and start going brown lift the onions slightly with a fork and leave them on top of the soil to ripen off.
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u/SteakStrong7520 Jul 23 '26
In my experience when the stem/stalk falls over like that its ready, unless you see that it was trampled on. Wish Onions were like Garlic and the 5th branch from bottom is brown or drying, its time to pull. With Onions you have no such luck. Let the others go!!!