Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP

BigTerp 4/17/2015, 6:45 pm

Noticed today that all of my 4 squares of onion plants are having issues. I planted my onion sets about 3 weeks ago. They have been looking great and growing well. All of a sudden today they all are starting to get yellow on the tips of their leaves and some are even falling over a bit and wilting slightly. Not sure what the problem is, never attempted to grow onions before. I water my entire 4 x 4 bed daily with a handheld watering bucket if we don't get rain. I'm sure it's not an under watering issue, but maybe I'm over waterting? We've gotten a good bit of rain this week. Everything else in my garden is doing great. I have not supplemented with any sort of fertilizer or anything else. Just straight Mel's Mix. Any ideas what is going on? Here are some pictures.

Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP IMG_20150417_181148_zpsdkxvrtwh

Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP IMG_20150417_181148_zpsdkxvrtwh

Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP IMG_20150417_181107_zpsh8my73sk

FamilyGardening 4/17/2015, 6:56 pm

were the tips cut off before planting them? if so then they look pretty normal to me Very Happy

happy gardening
rose

**camprn** 4/17/2015, 7:31 pm

Were these set out when it was still quite cold? Water at the least every other day.

BigTerp 4/17/2015, 8:19 pm

Not sure if the tops were cut or not before I planted them. And yes, they were put out when it was still getting in the 30s at night. I planted at the end of March. We had a few frosts the next week or so.

Another question I have is if my watering schedule is OK. Water every day if no rain.

FWIW, here are my onions the day I planted.

Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP IMG_20150330_180627_zpslmm82vse

Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP IMG_20150330_180627_zpslmm82vse

littlesapphire 4/17/2015, 8:31 pm

So these were planted as plants and not sets? Sets are like mini onions (no green parts) that you stick in the ground. I've never had this happen when planting sets, but I've never planted onion plants before. I honestly wouldn't worry about it. Give it some time and I'm sure they'll get nice and big and bushy. Sometimes plants take a little beating in the spring, but once warmer weather comes, they take off.

As for the watering, I would check the MM before you water to see if it needs it or not. I usually don't water in the spring because it's very wet in my area, but once summer hits, I water every day, then cut back in the fall.

**AtlantaMarie** 4/17/2015, 8:32 pm

How many types of composf did you use?

spud9638 4/17/2015, 8:39 pm

You may be overwatering them I guess. Onions will send roots down to the moisture at the bottom of your raised bed. But I agree with Rose, they look pretty normal. Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP Icon_cool

Tip for next year, purchase bulbs from garden center in the fall. Put the bulbs out then, pressed down in the soil some. Onions winter very well, and even though cold, harsh temps make them look bad. Just a few days of pretty weather and they bounce back. Tis really nice to have spring onions at Christmas or New Years day with those black eyed peas!

littlesapphire 4/17/2015, 8:44 pm

spud9638 wrote:You may be overwatering them I guess. Onions will send roots down to the moisture at the bottom of your raised bed. But I agree with Rose, they look pretty normal. Tip for next year, purchase bulbs from garden center in the fall. Put the bulbs out then, pressed down in the soil some. Onions winter very well, and even though cold, harsh temps make them look bad. Just a few days of pretty weather and they bounce back. Tis really nice to have spring onions at Christmas or New Years day with those black eyed peas!

Spud, I have to add to this... I've heard of people overwintering onions in the south or out west along the coast, but didn't think it was possible here in the cold white north of NY state. But you know what? The last couple years, I've accidentally overwintered onions, DESPITE the fact that the last two winters were two of the coldest on record in our area! So onions are awesome. I may have to try this on purpose this year.

BigTerp 5/13/2015, 1:57 pm

Just a little update, but my onions are doing great (as is the rest of my garden). Potatoes are up and I've already harvested a few salads worth of lettuce and spinach.

Here's a quick updated pic from over the weekend.
Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP IMG_20150509_124910_zps9bpxu7tg

Onion Leaves Yellowing and Wilting....HELP IMG_20150509_124910_zps9bpxu7tg

**sanderson** 5/13/2015, 2:17 pm

Looking good. Very Happy

CapeCoddess 5/13/2015, 3:10 pm

camprn wrote: Water at the least every other day.

Really??? Does that go for leeks & garlic, too?

CC

mschaef 5/13/2015, 3:27 pm

Your garden looks great!!! Your onions have definitely bounced back.

**camprn** 5/14/2015, 9:09 am

CapeCoddess wrote:
camprn wrote: Water at the least every other day.
Really??? Does that go for leeks & garlic, too?

CC

yes, sometimes even less. Meaning water every 4th day or so. Have to check the garden mix moisture level. Leeks will likely need less watering unless there is a long dry spell, because the roots are so very deep moisture is not lost to evaporation as quickly as surface moisture.

littlesapphire 5/14/2015, 9:13 am

Your onions look great! Glad to know that they perked back up. I transplanted some onions out a couple weeks ago that I'd started from seed, and noticed that mine were doing the same thing yours did. But they're fine now. I guess they just go through a bit of shock.

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