I noticed onion flowers and garlic flowers in my garden last
summer. What caused this, and, in the future, should I remove
the flowering stems or let them bloom? Onions are biennial,
which means they ordinarily produce bulbs in their first year of
growth, then, if left in the garden, they flower and bear seed
in their second year. George Boyhan, a vegetable specialist at
the University of Georgia extension office, says springtime
temperature swings — such as a warm spell followed by a cold
snap — can sometimes cause onions to bloom. That’s especially
true if cold weather strikes an onion that is approaching
maturity, a state usually indicated by seven true leaves.
Younger plants with fewer leaves are less likely to bloom early.
What to do? Harvest any flowering onions and use the bulbs
immediately, because they won’t keep well. (You can put the
pretty flowering stems in a vase with water.) Do not break off
the flower stems or leave the bulbs in the ground for later
harvest — the bulbs won’t grow any larger, a