Whats happened to onions?

[Imdunfer]

Does anyone else remember the days when onions had one centre and each layer got bigger round that centre? When the skin was really thick and brown but once you peeled that the whole of the onion was usable?

It seems these days that they are all multi cored, that the layers can go in all directions, that the first one or two outer layers are woody and inedible, and I'm throwing away a good whack of onion before I can slice it and cook it.

What happened to onions?

I think they're not left to cure properly any more so they don't keep.
I grow a lot of onions (200 this year) that I hang up and cure and they will stay perfectly good until at least Easter, with nice thick brown skin.

The ones I buy in the supermarket until the next harvest will always be flabby and slimy after a week or so.

Never had that problem.
I usually shop at Sainsbo, where are you shopping ?

Less than optimal growing conditions. The plant was stressed, perhaps by fluctuating temperatures or watering.

I don't get this but I pretty much always buy red onions

When I was a child my parents would buy strings of onions from "Sioni Winwns" which were then hung up in the cupboard under the stairs and lasted for months.

Sainsburys are good for onions. I go there especially for them. The quality is guaranteed to be better than Lidl ones I've bought in the past.

Tesco or Aldi, Tesco are better but still not good. I think the last lot came from a little Coop, OH cooked with them, I'll check to see if they are any better.

Red are fine. Just like the white ones used to be. The last white one I sliced had two inedible layers on the outside and three cores!

I wondered if they had been selective being them for fast growth or something?

M&S are by far the best for vegetables. They are no more expensive than other places and last for ages.

Drier growing conditions than usual.

Thanks, we have one quote choose, I'll try them.

I made a recipe last week that called for six onions. I was surprised that all them were “normal” and no weird layers. Onions I used were from Asda.

Quite close! 🤣

I think the supermarket ones now are a different variety.

I haven't thought about this until I read your post but you are right - they are structurally different to the string tied onions that I buy from the market.

I can only assume they grow quicker - supermarket ones also often don't make me cry.

Onions and potatoes should last for months.

The best onions I bought were in Asda when they reduced the 'sack' to 10p! They were all small, they were all really strong and made me tear up. They were also quite small.

I think the problem is that we expect a tennis ball sized onion, pack of 3 and it clearly is overgrown with less taste and is middling.

I grow my own too from sets, they're tear droppers! As are the home grown spring onions - so strong!

It's mass production for the size.

The first poster nailed it. They have to be grown until a very specific point at which they stems fall over, and then really you should pull them, butleave them to dry on the surface of the ground. But then you need to rush to take them away if there’s any rain. then you need to lay them on eg wiremesh undercover whilst they cure. Any deviation from this and you get rotten stems and funny growth.

Heat fluctuations. It stresses the plant which then tries to grow a flower stem which is why you get the cores.

Sainsburys onion purchaser here as well. Sometimes get one or 2 as OP described bjt mostly they are fine x

Would buying organic make a difference?

Gosh, I shop at Tesco and the onions I buy last for ages and I rarely have one long enough to go slimy. I rely on deliveries due to mobility problems so am at the mercy of the pickers but onions are one fresh produce that don’t seem to be a problem.

I agree I've never had a problem with them not lasting, just the layering and woody outer layers.

This is likely to be a regional issue. The growers or suppliers in your Tesco’s region may be leaving them to cure longer or the weather has been better for them in their area.