Growing onions requires plenty of sun and good drainage, and they grow best when the soil pH varies between 6.0 and 6.8. Raised beds or raised rows made by backfilling the soil are ideal, especially if your soil is heavy with clay. Fill the raised beds with soil designed for the correct weight and texture for the raised beds.
For bulk rows, mix a 3-inch layer of compost or a compost-enriched extract, a versatile soil in the top 6-inch soil. Place the plants 1 inch deep so that their roots are well covered with soil, but the top of the plant’s neck is not too deep. You do not want the part of the neck where the leaves grow from the transparent shell to collect soil or water between the young leaves, or they can rot. Space plants at a distance of 6 inches from each other in the grooves at 12 inches from each other. Plants grow best when, in addition to being grown in high-quality soil, they are fed only the right plant food.
When I prefer to plant onions
Onions should be planted in cool weather. If you live in a cold climate, plant onions as soon as the soil is suitable for work (when the soil can be smoothed), which may be your late spring. In temperate climates, onions can be planted in the fall, withstand the winter growing season and be ready for early spring harvest.
Onions are famous for being difficult to grow, but with a little practice most gardeners can do it successfully. They can be planted as seeds, as a transplant (a small onion seedling that has just sprouted), or as “sets” (small onion bulbs that will soon begin their second, last year of growth). More often onions are planted in the form of sets, which have good success rates and in a few months will turn into a full-size onion. As they grow in the second year, onions planted from the sets can send flower stalks to the end of the growing season.
In cold climates, onions are usually planted in the spring, when the weather is still cool but not cold – above 28 degrees Fahrenheit. In warm climates, onions are often planted in the fall, where they will remain dormant throughout the winter and begin to grow in the spring. It takes about 3 1/2 months for the sets to ripen into a full-sized onion.
If grown from seed, onion seeds are usually planted indoors at least six weeks before planting outdoors. Transplanting onion seedlings requires an outside temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit before they can be moved to the garden.
How I prefer to sow onion seeds
I prefer to sow onion seeds indoors as early as January so that they are large enough to be planted in the spring. Sow the seeds in a pot or tray with moist seed compost at a distance of 1 cm from each other. When the seedlings reach a height of several centimeters, cut them and transplant into fresh multifunctional compost without peat. After the seedlings are transplanted, transplant them into the garden at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other.
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How I prefer to plant onion sets
Sets of onions can be bought for spring or autumn planting. Most of them are subjected to heat treatment, which means that they are less prone to bolts (produce flowers), which prevents the accumulation of onions. Plant onions at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, leaving a row spacing of 30 cm. Plant them directly under the soil surface, where only the tips are visible, in fertile soil that retains moisture, ideally with lots of well-rotted organic matter, such as garden compost.
Can Onions Be Grown From Seeds Or Sets?
We prefer to plant sets of onions, rather than starting with seeds, simply because the sets are quickly fixed and easier to plant. Onion sets are small onion bulbs that are sold specifically for gardening. After planting, they develop into a full-sized bulb in about 3 and a half months.
In addition, onion sets can be planted without worrying about frost damage, and they have a higher success rate than planting onion seeds or transplanting. Of course, start onions from seed, of course, is possible, and may even be needed in cold regions (zone 5 and colder). If you want to try this method, read our tips on growing onions from seed indoors.
How You Can Become an Onions Farmer
Planting onion seeds can take longer, so first germinate the seeds indoors to begin the process:
- Prepare. Fill a planting tray or other suitable container with moist soil and dig half-inch-deep furrows for your seedlings. Lightly sprinkle with soil and keep warm, about 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transplantation. When the onion seedlings germinate (somewhere from a few days to a few weeks), they are ready to be transplanted into your garden. Dig holes about two inches deep and four to five inches apart for transplanting onions, in rows 12 to 18 inches apart.
- Companion factory. Cabbage, tomatoes, leeks and carrots are good companions for your onion harvest. Keep useful plants nearby to bring beneficial insects and other organic protection.
- Add mulch. Stacking mulch or other organic matter between the onion rows can help suppress weeds and retain some moisture in your soil (reducing the amount of watering needed).
- You can plant onion seeds or plant sets of onions. Sets of onions are small onion bulbs that can be planted and grown into whole bulbs in a few months. If you plant sets of onions, you can bury them one inch underground in your garden, at a distance of two to six inches apart. Do not compact the soil around the onion; just loosely cover the onion bulb.
How you can care for your onions pant
Think of onions as a leafy crop, not a root crop (such as beets or carrots)!
- Fertilize every few weeks with nitrogen to get large bulbs. Stop applying fertilizers when the onions repel the soil and the onion process has begun. Do not put soil around the onions; the bulb should rise above the ground.
- As soon as the bulbs begin to develop, mulch with a light ½-inch layer of straw (chopped leaves also work well in the fall). Mulch will help retain moisture, suppress weeds and ensure air circulation.
- As a rule, onion plants do not need additional watering if mulch is used. About one inch of water per square foot per week (including rainwater) is enough. If you want sweeter onions, water more.
- Onions will look healthy even if they are dry to the bone, so be sure to water them during drought. This helps prevent the onion from sticking when the stress plant accelerates the development of flowers.
TYPES OF ONIONS
Red, yellow, white, sweet … In addition to various colors and subtle taste differences, traditional onions can be enjoyed in different ways – depending on the age they harvest! Before forming large bulbs, unripe onions can be harvested and used as green onions – also known as onions. If you allow them to ripen a little and form a modest (but still underdeveloped) bulb, they are considered onions! Gather clusters of young green onions, green onions or green onions, and now you have a handful of bunches of onions. Note that there are also varieties of fine onions without bulbs; real “green onions”.
