How do I know when onions and garlic are ready to pick?

just brush the soil away gently and you will be able to see the progress then brush it back if there not ready

Thanks, I'll do that.

Re: onions, I remember my Dad just waiting until they would be nearly fully exposed. You then lift and leave them to dry a bit before using. All the neighbours and my dads shed roofs would be covered in onions! Then they were bundled up and hung ready to use. I come from a family of 10 so we grew all our own veg then. I'm now married 25 years so things may have changed but the memories remain.

When you say nearly fully exposed, do you mean that the new onions will be lying on top of the soil?

no they will just start showing

Mind you Georgialo it will be a while yet before they are ready to lift - September time is about right for onions. Bend the tops over prior to lifting them so that the sap goes back down into the root and, as Bersun says dry off on the ground - or on racks before storing. Narrow necked onions will keep better than wide necked ones

Along similar lines, I've also grown onions in pots and have now picked out to dry (thanks to all above for the advice). Wondering can I use the soil again to plant something else in (either flowers or vegetables - and if the latter what's good to plant at this time of year?). Am new the whole veg growing bit and don't have enough room in borders so it's tubs for me I'm afraid.

The compost you grew your onions in will have used all the feed in it to grow the onions. Best to spread out over the soil in your flower garden or put into your compost bin.

Great, thanks.

Your welcome x .