How to Grow Onions
Instructions for Growing Onions
in Your Garden
Onions Drying For Storage
| Nutrition | Watering Instructions | Harvesting |
| Climate | Fertilizing Instructions | Storage |
| Soil | Challenges | Tips |
| Planting |
Onions make good companions for several garden vegetables. However, DO NOT plant onions near peas or beans. See: companion planting.
How to Grow Onions - Nutrition Information
Dietary Fiber, Chromium, Manganese, Vitamin C, B6, Folate, Potassium
How to Grow Onions - Climate & Growing Conditions
Growing onions is a garden favorite in nearly any climate. However, onions are temperature sensitive and do not like beds that get too hot. When growing onions, select varieties that match your growing season. Plant in a sunny location. Warm weather is best for bulb growth, as cool weather promotes top growth.
How to Grow Onions - Prepare the Garden Soil
The soil pH needed for growing onions is 6.0-7.0. (See: How to test garden soil pH.) Prepare the garden bed in advance with large quantities of compost and/or well-rotted manure. The soil needs to be loose and deeply dug.
How to Grow Onions - Planting
There are three variety categories for growing onions: Early, Mid-Season, or Late-Maturing. Plant early types in mid-to-late summer. Plant mid-season varieties in autumn. Plant late maturing varieties in late autumn/early winter.
Sow seeds directly in the ground or transplant bulbs.
Gardening tip for growing onions - You'll get the fastest results when growing onions for use as green onions/scallions, if you plant onion sets, rather than seeds. (Note: scallions are a different onion type, but young onions substitute.)
How to Grow Onions - Watering
Water regularly and evenly to create the best environment for growing onions. Lack of water slows growth and causes bulbs to split.
How to Grow Onions - Fertilizing
Fertilize mid-season. Use well-rotted manure, compost tea, bone meal, or a complete fertilizer.
Fertilizer applied as the plant nears maturity can causes excess leaf growth (and small bulbs).
How to Grow Onions - Gardening Challenges
Onion maggots thrive in fresh organic material, so make sure any organic material (compost, manures) are well rotted before applying to your garden.
Other problems: Onion Thrip (white spots on leaves) or Downy Mildew.
Gardening tip for growing onions - Practice good vegetable gardening by rotating crops throughout the garden each season. This prevents many plant diseases.
How to Grow Onions - Harvesting
When the onion leaves start to yellow, bend them to one side. Once the leaves have died, pull plant from the ground and leave in the sun to dry (in dry weather) for a few days.
How to Grow Onions - Storage
Cold Storage:
Store in your cold cellar in breathable or mesh bags (if possible). Examine periodically for (and remove) rotted onions.
How to dehydrate vegetables - ONIONS
How to freeze vegetables - ONIONS
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