Growing Onions - Benefits and Instructions

Benefits of Growing Onions

  • Medicinal - Onions should be labeled as a super food, the flavonoid present in onions is known to help with blood clots, bronchitis, diabetes, asthma and lower bad cholesterol.  These are only a few of the impressive health benefits that onions have to offer.
  • Nutritional Profile - Onions are a good source of vitamin C, B6, potassium, folate, and manganese. Onions also contain inulin, a soluble prebiotic fiber that feeds healthy bacteria in the gut.
  • Use in: Canning, pickled, soups, stews...and endless list
To our allium/onion family collection

 

 

Growing Instructions

Culture:

Sun Exposure: Full sun 
Soil: Soil pH of 6.0-7.5 and a well-drained soil with plenty of compost or well-rotted manure added. Feed with a complete balanced fertilizer during the growing season, particularly when the bulbs start to form.
Moisture: It's especially important for onions to get water just after planting. A well-hardened transplant can survive almost two weeks in dry soil. In well-drained soil, onions need a thorough soaking of one inch of water per week to grow best. Cut back on watering when the tops start dying back to prevent the bulbs from rotting.
Planting: Plant seed as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Onion seed germinates in a wide range of soil temperature, 18-29 degrees C. Onion seeds started indoors 6-8 weeks ahead of transplanting will be earlier, larger and have a better shape than sets and direct seeded onions. Plant 3-4 seeds in a 1 inch cell. Thin to 2 seedlings per cell. Seedlings can be trimmed to 3-4 inches in height to promote stockier transplants. To plant onion sets, simply press sets into the soil about 2 inches apart. Later thin to about 4-6 inches apart to allow bulbs to mature.
Spacing:   Plant 9 Onion plants per square foot of growing space using Square Foot Gardening Method.  Or plant in rows 18-24 inches apart.
Sow seeds: Sow and cover seed with 1⁄2 inches of soil; keep moist.

 

Harvesting:

Bunching onions are used when young and green, plants can be harvested in two ways: you can pull entire plants and eat them like green onions, or you can snip off leaves as needed throughout the growing season, more like chives. Leaves will grow back quickly and can be cut down several times throughout the season. To harvest storage onions: when onion tops begin to fall over, turn brown and wither, it is time to harvest.

Storage/Preparation:

Bunching onions can be stored for up to 10 days in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. They can also be frozen easily.

For storage onions,tipping bulbs over to break some of the roots will speed drying. Pull and place onions in dry, warm airy location out of direct sun for up to 3 weeks to cure. After curing process is complete, store in cool, dry location. The drier the onions, the better they store.

 

Companions:

Beet, cabbage family, carrot, kohlrabi, lettuce, parsnip, pepper, spinach, strawberry, tomato, turnip.

To our allium/onion family collection