Growing Onions

Onions can be started from seed or you can get a jump start by planting onion sets. Onion sets are a miniature bulb which will grow into a nice large onion.
Generally we stock Red Onions, Yellow Onions, White onions and  Shallots in stock.
  • Select a location with full sun where your onions won’t be shaded by other plants.
  • Soil needs to be well-drained, loose, and rich in nitrogen; compact soil affects bulb development.
  • Till in aged compost or fertilizer before planting. Onions are heavy feeders and need constant nourishment to produce big bulbs.Bumper crop compost and Bio-tone fertilizer is our favorite combination.
  • At planting time, you can mix in some nitrogen fertilizer, too, and side dress every few weeks until the bulbing process begins

When planting onions from sets, dig a trench about 1 to 2 inches deep, space the bulb 2 to 6 inches apart. Rows should be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart. Its important to suppress weeds, so mulching is recommended.

Onions like consistent moisture, to support the growth and swelling of the bulb. Make sure that they receive approximately an 1″ of water each week. Remember onions are bulbs and if they sit in too much water they may rot. if you live in a rainier location, ensure that the soil is well draining.

Harvesting & Storing:
Onions can take over 90 days when starting with sets. You will know that the onion is fully mature when half of the top leaves have collapsed and started to dry.Once you see that half the leaves have collapsed, very gently coax the remaining leaves down, without breaking them off the bulb. 

You can begin to use onions for immediate cooking, but if you would like to store some onions it is recommended that you allow to stay in the ground a tad longer.

Then allow the bulbs to sit in the ground and cure for a couple of days before you lift them.When it is time to lift the onions, try to do it during drier weather, so mud isn’t sticking to the bulb. You’ll have better luck digging up the onion bulbs, rather than pulling them. You don’t have to dig deep—just enough to loosen the remaining roots. Shake and brush off any loose soil and let the bulbs finish curing in a warm, dry place with good air circulation. Leave the leaves on. 

Once the onion skin dries and the neck has started to shrivel you can store them. Place onions in a cool and dry location. To preserve them longer store them in about 40 degrees  ( don’t allow to freeze). Also hanging them in mesh bags or braiding the tops for hanging will allow them to have great air circulation!