Onions are a staple in our kitchen and essential for adding flavor to numerous dishes. One of my garden goals each year is to plant enough onions to satisfy my needs.
Onions can be planted from transplants, sets "onion bulbs", or started from seed. Onions are cool-season crops that require al least 90 days to reach maturity. Because of this long growing season requirement and their preference for cooler weather, planting onion seeds directly into the garden in the spring makes it difficult for the bulbs to reach a good size before warm temperatures arrive. That's why the seeds have to be started many weeks in advance of planting the transplants outside into the garden. Onion seedlings are slow growing. So if you want to grow onion seeds indoors you should start them 10 to 12 weeks before transplanting them into the garden in early spring.
The Best Time to Grow Onions From Seed
Onions take a while to develop from seed. Start the seeds indoor in January or February under growing lights then transplant the seedlings to the garden in early spring is the only way that you can grow onions from seed and have them mature with big bulbs. If you live in southern areas, you can plant onion seeds in late summer to early fall, and they will begin growing when the weather warms.
Best Growing Location for Onions
Select a growing location that receives full sun or at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. The more energy they can get from the sunlight, the larger their bulbs can be!
Preparing The Soil Before Planting
Onions grow best in loose, fertile soil that drains well with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
Before planting, work in an organic fertilizer, such as organic compost or well rotted manure into the soil.
. Growing Onions From Seeds .
Growing onions from seed is easy and with the diversity in shapes, sizes, flavors, and colors to grow. Starting from seed typically rewards you with bigger and better quality onions.
Onion seeds can be kept for two years in a cool dry place, but fresh onion seeds always germinate best. You must purchase only seeds that you will use within one or two years. If you are planning on storing onions for winter use, select varieties that are known for their long-term storage capabilities. Also be sure to select varieties for your growing area. Onions are divided into short-day, day neutral, and long-day.
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. Short-day onions .
Are ideal for the plant hardiness Zone, where the mild weather allows them to grow through the fall and winter months and harvested in March, April and May. These onions are Red Burgundy, Vidalia, and Red Creole.. Day-neutra onions .
Can be grown in almost all climates. These onions are Candy and Cabernet.. Long-day onions .
They are sown early under lights and transplanted to the garden in spring so they have plenty of time to grow before forming bulbs. these onions are Copra, White sweet spanish, and ailsa craig.. How to Start Onion Seeds Indoors .
As germination rates fall as the seeds age, first-year seeds germinate best. Germination is always highest with fresh seeds. So always buy good onion seeds. I also recommend to purchase a fresh bag of seed-starting mix each time you want to start seeds as a safety precaution against soil-borne diseases. Properly caring for onion seedlings indoor is the key for success. All they need is light, water, and occasional pinching to encourage strong roots. By following these simple steps you will have good success!
- Fill your containers with pre-moistened seed starting mix, sprinkle the seeds evenly on top of the soil, mist with water, cover with 1/8-inch of seed starting mix, and press down gently to be sure the seeds are in contact with the moist soil.
- Label the containers, cover with a humidity dome, and place it in a warm area around 70-75°F (21-24°C).
- Once the seeds sprout, remove the humidity dome, and place under lights in a cool location.
- Onion seedlings need at least 10 hours of light a day, a sunny window is good. But if it’s hard to achieve this, to avoid legginess i recommend using a grow light set 1” above the top of seedlings.
- Keep the soil moist, and water with compost tea every two weeks. Trim the tops with scissors to keep the onion seedlings around 3-inches high. This will furnish more nutrients to the roots instead of the foliage.
. Transplanting Onion Seedlings in the Garden .
Harden off onion transplants about 4-weeks before your last expected frost date. As the young seedlings are vulnerable to frosts and freezes. The hardening process will help acclimating the seedlings to colder temperatures, sun, and less watering. Transplanting the seedlings outside right away will shock them and could possibly kill them.
- Transplant your onion seedlings that were started indoors about 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost date, provided the ground is not frozen.
- Onions benefit from full sun, a soil pH of "6.0 to 7.5" and a well drained soil with plenty of good quality of organic compost or well rotted animal manure added.
- Select a growing location that receives full sun and keep in mind that the more area you give them to grow, the larger they will get.
- Remove the seedlings carefully from the container and separate them, gently tease the onion seedlings apart for planting one at a time.
- Transplant the separated seedlings 3 to 4 inches apart.
- Once seedlings are transplanted, water gently. Remember to water frequently to keep the soil evenly moist.
- Onions have shallow roots and require frequent irrigation throughout the growing season.
- Regularly remove weeds, which will compete for water and nutrients with onions.
Direct Sowing Onion Seeds Outside
To direct sow onion seeds outside, wait until the ground is workable in early spring, and the temperature is above 40°F. It's usually a few weeks before your last frost date. But if you leave in warmer climates, you can sow the seeds directly in the garden in the fall or early winter. Seed germinating sometime take between 5-10 days after sowing
Growing Onions in Containers
We all love to grow onions, but if we own a small garden or perhaps we don't have the space. We can grow onions in containers.
Growing onions in containers allows you to grow onions indoors or in a small space in your backyard. The key of success is good soil, adequate drainage, good organic fertilizer and plenty of light.
To plant onions in container:
- Fill the container half full with good quality potting soil.
- Plant the onion transplants or bulbs two inches apart with the root side down.
- Gently add more soil around them until the trimmed top of the green onion is just peeking out or the bulbs are completely covered.
- Water well and place in a sunny window.
- Keep the pots moist and in a few weeks you will harvest your green onion tops.
- Once harvested they will grow more green tops and you can harvest them again and again.
Just remember that onions grown in containers usually need more water than those grown in garden beds. So keep the soil slightly moist and as soon as it dries out.
Onion Companion Planting
You can plant chamomile near onions to improve their flavour. Onions also grow well alongside beets, Brassicas, carrots, dill, leeks, lettuce, and tomatoes. Never plant onions near asparagus, or peas.. Harvesting Green Onions .
The number of days it takes to grow onions from seed to harvest can vary widely between the different varieties that you are growing. But on average, the time from sowing to maturity is between 3-5 months. Green onions are ready for harvest once the green tops are between 6 to 8 inches tall. But you can always enjoy some of your green onion however, they are edible at any size. You can pull up young ones and use both the tops and the bulbs in your recipes. To harvest just use a kitchen scissors and snip as much as you need. Onions can be harvested young as green onions or left to mature and form bulbs.
Watch my Organic Onions Update Video
. How to Collect and Save Onion Seeds .
By growing and saving your own onion seeds, you can develop a healthy reserve of seeds for next year. Collecting and saving seeds allows you to grow new onions with the desired characteristics without buying sets or transplants.
It’s time for harvesting onion seeds when the umbrels or flowering heads begin turning brown.
- Always select healthy, disease-free onion plants.
- Carefully clip the stalks a few inches below the head and place them in a paper bag.
- Set the bag in a cool, dry place for several weeks.
- When the heads are completely dry, shake them vigorously within the bag to release the seeds.
- Label the seeds and store them in a cool, dry place.
- Most seeds are best if they are used within one year of saving them, but you may get a good germination rate the second year.
Onion seeds are not typically difficult to grow or to collect, but keep in mind that they are a biennial crop, meaning that they seed once every two years!
Now that you know a lot more about how to grow delicious organic onions from seed, give it a try, and set yourself up for success this season.
