Is it time to harvest onions/garlic yet?

[w33blegurl]

My poor shallots are looking rather windblown at the mo but still v small. The garlic is starting to go yellow so think it will be time to lift soon. Unfortunately also covered in rust!

[kathyd]

What does rust do to the garlic bulb? Mine leaves are spotty, assume it's rust because it's er.. rust coloured! But I lifted one and the bulb looks fine although not quite separated into individual cloves yet. Is it better to leave them a bit longer or pull them up now?

[Kaiya]

From what I've read rust doesn't affect the bulb but damaging the leaves can limit how well the bulb develops. Whether to pull them or not seems up in the air - some say pull them up now, some even say burn them, some say ignore it and they'll be mostly fine, some say take of the leaves and let it photosynthese through the stem... I pulled the leaves off mine but one week on they don't look insanely happy. This was them at time of leaf pulling off:

but some now look a little yellow. My plan is to pull some up next weekend and see what's going on underground. I initially went for the 'leaf strip and leave' option as I thought they hadn't bulbed yet, but from watching GW I realise the bulbs may just be deeper than my tentative furtle.

The neighbouring baby leeks (you can just see one in the top right of my garlic picture - shows how close they are) have got rust too now, though the onions and shallots that are right in with the garlic haven't caught it.

[VirginVegGrower]

What does rust do to the garlic bulb? Mine leaves are spotty, assume it's rust because it's er.. rust coloured! But I lifted one and the bulb looks fine although not quite separated into individual cloves yet. Is it better to leave them a bit longer or pull them up now?

It's a fungus which attacks the leaves, not the bulb. It's the wet/warm weather we've had. Mine has succumbed so I pulled all mine as once it attacks the foliage it impedes the bulbs ability to swell. Depends how green or yellow your foliage is.

[vegnut]

It's also a leek rust so shouldn't affect your onions, only leeks and garlic. If you pull the outer leaves off the part underground may rot so be careful it doesn't make your garlic head slimy and eventually rotten. This will take some time so don't panic. If your garlic has rust then the head will not grow any bigger and it's about time give or take a week or two to start lifting and drying them. As they dry the cloves will become evident eventually.
The rust does not affect the storing of or using for end of years new plants but the drying does, dry them well.

[Paulottie]

Wise words Vegnut.

I'll add that where the outside leaves were so rusty mine started to go slimy and rot underground too...so I got the lot out. My daughter sat and peeled all the worst off and washed the lot, bless her. Not the most impressive sized heads I've achieved but all on greenhouse staging drying nicely now.

[VirginVegGrower]

Mine are drying too. All remaining onions are up now, chopped and freezing as we speak. I looked like Alice Cooper by the time I'd finished One job gone for the year!

[kathyd]

Excellent! The rusty ones are autumn planted so they're quite nice and big, so I can pull them up and dry them in the tunnel, and then try to plait them which should be ... fun. And I'll get a bit of free space for something else. If I can get anything else to grow. Wonder if my spring planted ones are rusty or not? I've been so focused on pulling out the bindweed that's started crawling up them I've not really noticed how they're faring. Best go and check I suppose. Thanks all .

[Shadylane]

I looked like Alice Cooper by the time I'd finished

Oooh you want some of these Amazing for when you've got loads to chop.

I'm leaving my rusty garlic a bit longer. I pulled one up which was starting to tilt and it wasn't bad but wasn't great either. I've never found rust to be that problematic but who knows this year. The white overwintered onions(from sets) are looking good and starting to flop (we've eaten a couple already) whereas the red baron overwintered (from seed) are all bolting. I'm thinking a mass red onion chutney making session is on the cards

[VirginVegGrower]

Oooh you want some of these Amazing for when you've got loads to chop.

I'm leaving my rusty garlic a bit longer. I pulled one up which was starting to tilt and it wasn't bad but wasn't great either. I've never found rust to be that problematic but who knows this year. The white overwintered onions(from sets) are looking good and starting to flop (we've eaten a couple already) whereas the red baron overwintered (from seed) are all bolting. I'm thinking a mass red onion chutney making session is on the cards

They look so funny Seriously though the onions were so potent last night that they cleared my sinus problem.

[veggiechicken]

Couldn't you wear swimming goggles instead? Ohh to have loads of onions to chop

[Shadylane]

Yes you could veggie, not as comfy though. I remember the rubber strap used to squish me head, whereas these fit on like normal glasses and there is no head squishing. I find them useful when I'm pickling or using shallots as they take a while to prep.

They look so funny Seriously though the onions were so potent last night that they cleared my sinus problem.

Really?? Maybe I should try this. I'm badly with sinus issues at the mo, typical as the weather seems to have improved and I want to get out there, but I've found powering through just prolongs the agony and you never shake it off. Does trailing the vine count as rest though? Not sure.. As for the goggles, yes you look a bit daft in them

[lottie dolly]

pulled all the over winter onions yesterday and choped this morning,ooooohhh the eyes,i wear glasses anyway,i had them in water intil just before the chop,1 at a time,it still had me,i then squirted my eyes with that eye spray,a couple of times,when done the other half i was ok,just a little soar,and no weeping,
the positive note is,come planting time in a few months,i plan loads more of them,reasons are,it keeps somthing growing over winter,if they chopped up and frozen,it gives you prepared one's when in a hurry,and leaves some spare room in the ground for planting other stuff to follow them,so you not need to have as many regular onions for storage,thats my theary anyway,

[jackyspratty]

My garlic is pants this year, hardly any appeared! First time for shallots Ill have a look tomorrow nd maybe get them up too? Do you advise freezing technique aswell? Not done them before!

[lottie dolly]

shallots will freeze but,same with any onion,if there is a hard centre where it's starting to seed,flickit out first and chuck,if they are small you could also pickle them,they thould however keep ok the same as regular onions,again keep checking for any rot,last year i lost a lot of my shallots to rot,but was most suprized to have quite lot to plant out as seed this year,they are very,very slow,have split and splayed out,now just need to fatten up,will have to keep an eye out incase they rot where they are,alls a game of chance this year lol,