Growing Great Onions

Whether you grow onions from sets, plants or seed, you’ll get the best harvest if you do these things. First, select a site that that will receive at least six hours of direct sun each day. Next, prepare your bed by working in some organic material, such as Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost. 

One bag of locally-produced Sheep, Peat and Compost will cover ten square feet two inches deep. Spread two to three inches of Sheep and Peat over the bed, then dig in thoroughly, to a depth of six to eight inches. While you’re at it, incorporate a slow release form of nitrogen and phosphate into the bed. Now you’re ready to plant your onions. 

Onion sets should be planted one inch deep and four to five inches apart.

 Onion plants should be planted two to three inches apart and just deep enough to hold them upright. As onion plants grow, harvest every other one to use as green scallions. Once planted, onions need a consistent supply of water in order to form correctly, so water your onions often enough to keep them moist. 

Applying a good mulch such as Soil Pep will help hold the moisture in and the ground temperature stable.  

About a month after planting, feed your onions again with organic 4-4-4 fertilizer. Repeat this feeding after the onions have been in the ground for eight weeks. Onions will continue to grow until around the middle of summer, when you’ll start to see changes; the tops begin to fade and fall over. This is a clue your onions are getting ripe.  Once eighty percent of the crop’s tops have faded and fallen over, pull your onions and leave them in the sun for two to three days to dry, before storing them in a cool, dry area.   Onions generally don’t have a lot of problems. Occasionally you’ll see some damage from insects such as thrips. If the leaves on your onions look distorted or growth suddenly stops, suspect thrips and dust the area with Sulfur. The key to growing onions is to start them early, in well-amended soil, pay attention to how much water they’re getting and keep the onion patch free of weeds and insects.