Growing onions in your garden.
Ah, the humble onion. A reliable ingredient in countless recipes, but often overlooked when it comes to home gardening plans. However, don't underestimate the power of a bountiful onion crop. It takes a bit of planning and knowledge to grow these flavorful bulbs just right. But with a little guidance, you can become an onion-growing expert and have a yield that will make even the most seasoned chefs jealous. Let's get to it!
Choose a sunny spot in your raised bed, separate your onion sets by 3 to 4 inches (no deeper than an inch below the soil), and treat them to some organic nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Don’t plant onions next to other onion type plants such as leeks, garlic and shallots. Planting these like species in near proximity can give pesky pests a multi-lane highway throughout your onion patch.
Grow onions next to brassicas (radish, turnip, kale, cabbage, Brussel sprout, mustard, etc) and tomatoes, lettuces, strawberries (strange but true! And no, it will not make your strawberries taste like onions or vice versa!), peppers, parsnip and spinach. Because onions naturally deter pests like aphids, beetles and even rabbits, they offer organic protection to all these listed.
WHEN TO PLANT: Onions are hardy to 20° F. Plant the bulbs as soon as you can work the ground; if the weather is too cold, they won’t sprout until it warms up. Do NOT plant if the soil is too wet, however – the bulbs will rot.
WHERE TO PLANT: Onions prefer a soil with a pH of 6 to 7, and thrive in a loose soil. They are ideal in raised beds. Apply a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10 to 20-20-20) before planting, or add compost or well-rotted manure several weeks in advance.
HOW TO PLANT: Plant the bulbs with just ½” of soil covering them, spaced 4” apart. Tamp the soil down well. The onions will eventually grow to 3”-5” in diameter; plan to harvest every other one early, to leave more space for the rest of them.
HOW TO GROW: Be sure the bulbs are well watered at planting, and continue to offer ample water during the growing season. Try to keep the onion tops dry, to reduce disease problems. Fertilize once a month with a high nitrogen fertilizer.
HOW TO HARVEST: Spring-planted onions should mature in mid-summer. Harvest when the tops fall over; pull the onions and let them dry for a few days before clipping off the tops 1” from the bulbs. Store in a well ventilated area. Sweet onions do not keep as well as other bulbing varieties, but are considerably more mild in flavor.