Onions are very easy to grow! They are planted in early spring and harvested from mid-summer to autumn. Are you starting to where do onions grow from seeds or from sets? there are some trade tricks that make the difference between a good harvest and a disappointing one.
Well, here you will know where do onions grow which will certainly not disappoint when harvesting. And you will also be explained some tips in planting well, let’s look at it below by lavitaebellablog.
Gardening by Planting Onions
Should I Grow Onions from Seeds or from Sets?
Onion sets are small onions that ripen in about 14 weeks. They can withstand light freezing and have a higher success rate than seeds planted directly or transplanted.
Onion sets look like small bulbs sold in gardening shops; after ripening, they develop into full-size bulbs. Choose onion sets with bulbs that are 3/4 inch in diameter; the larger ones tend to produce a stiff neck and become a seed.
Of course, starting onions from seeds is certainly doable, and may even be necessary for colder regions (Zone 5 and cooler). Onions grown from seeds require at least 50°F soil to germinate, so this should be started indoors about 6 weeks before transplanting into the garden.
Planting
Choose a site with full sun, where your onions will not be shaded by other plants. The more energy they get from sunlight, the larger their bulbs can grow.
In the fall or early spring, mix old manure or compost into the soil to improve texture. Make sure that there are no stones or debris. The soil should be well drained and loose; compacted soil adversely affects the development of tubers.
When to Plant Onions?
In spring, plant onions outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked on, usually in late March or April, when temperatures are no longer likely to fall below 28°F (-2°C).
In the spring, start planting onions indoors for about 6 weeks before transplanting them into the ground (after the soil is at least 50 ° F).
Onion crops planted in the fall need at least 4 to 6 weeks of warm temperatures to be planted in the ground. They will remain dormant during the winter, As the temperature and soil warm up again in early spring, onions come to life.
How to Grow Onions
Onion plants are heavy eaters and need constant nutrition to produce large bulbs. At the time of planting, add nitrogen fertilizers. Many organic gardeners will add an inch of compost to the bottom of each row before planting. Or, dig a trench in the ground 2 inches deep and 3 inches wide, then refill the trench with about an inch of compost.
- Bury onions at a distance of 2 to 6 inches, gently pressing them into loose soil no more than 1 inch. (Use a closer distance if you want to pull an immature onion as a leek.)
- Transplant spaces 4 to 5 inches apart and rows 12 to 18 inches apart.
- Set the bulb with its end facing up. Again, don’t bury it more than 1 inch underground. It is important that the onions are not planted too deeply, as this can adversely affect the development of the bulbs.
- Mulch with a straw between the rows to help retain moisture and paralyze weeds.
Growth
- We find it helpful to think of onions as a leaf crop (such as lettuce or kale), rather than a root crop (such as beets or carrots). Fostering healthy growth of foliage ensures that the plant has enough energy to form large tubers.
- Make sure that immature tubers remain covered with light mulch to protect them, retain moisture, suppress weeds, and allow air circulation.
- Do not cover the newly appeared onions.
- Fertilize every few weeks with nitrogen to get large tubers. Stop fertilizing as the onion pushes the soil and the process of forming bulbs has begun. Do not put the soil back around the onion; tubers should appear above the ground.
- Generally, if light mulch is used, onion crops do not need to be watered consistently. About 1 inch of water per square foot per week, including rainwater, is enough. If you want sweeter onions, water more. To prevent bolting, water often during the summer.
- To prevent thrips, intercropping onions with tomatoes or carrots in crisscrossed rows.
Recommended Varieties
Onions are photoperiodic, or sensitive to daylight, so different varieties have been bred for varying lengths of the day. The boundary between long-day and short-day varieties is located approximately at 36 degrees north latitude (aka, the 36th parallel).
In the north of it, the plant is of the long day type; south of it, planting onions a short day. Alternatively, try the “noon-neutral” (medium) variety, which gives an excellent harvest anywhere, regardless of the length of the day.
Long day varieties…
- ‘Yellow Sweet Spanish’ : large, rounded shape; yellow-white.
- ‘First Edition’ : high yield, well stored, flavorful, creamy yellow
- ‘Red Wethersfield’ : well-stored flat tubers, white flesh, red skin
- ‘Aisa Craig’ , ‘Walla Walla’ : big bulb
- ‘Buffalo’ , ‘Norstar’ : early production but keep only until the end of December
Short-day varieties…
- ‘Stuttgarter’ : sold set, early ripe with slightly flattened shape, yellow
- ‘White Bermuda’ : very light, with thick flat tubers; white
- ‘Red Burgundy’ : a delicious onion with its soft white and sweet inside; short-term guard
- ‘Crystal Wax White Bermuda’ : a great onion for preservation when harvested with a “pearl” size
- ‘Hybrid Yellow Granex’ : sweet, Vidalia type
Varieties of neutral, or medium day, …
- ‘Sweets’ : gold, thick flesh, jumbo tubers; store well
- ‘Red Stockton’ : large tubers, red rings, white flesh
- ‘Super Star’ : big, sweet, white bulb
Harvest
- Pull the onion that sends the flower stalks. This means that the bulbs have stopped growing. This onion will not be stored well, but it can be used in recipes in a few days.
- Onions planted in spring tend to be ready for harvest by mid-summer.
- As the onion begins to ripen, the shoots (foliage) turn yellow and begin to fall off. Then, bend the top down or even step on the foliage to speed up the final ripening process.
- Loosen the soil around the bulbs to encourage drying.
- Harvest at the end of summer in dry weather. (Wet-harvested onions will not heal well and may rot in storage.)
- When the top is brown, pull the onion. Handle it carefully, as the slightest bruise (now and in storage) will lead to rotting.
- Cut the roots, Cut the top back to 1 or 2 inches (but leave the top if you plan to braid the onions together).
Who doesn’t love gardening? Gardening is one of the fun activities. Especially if the harvest period comes. And one of the herbs that are often grown is onions. That is the reason why the basic science of growing onions and some other explanations, the author reviews. May it be useful!