The organic cultivation of onions is very popular among home gardeners. Because onions are very easy to grow and are well known for their hardiness.
Onion (Allium Sulfur) are a cool-season crop and are usually planted in early spring. They are one of the most popular and widely used vegetables in the world.
Onions are grown all over the world as a food product. They are usually served cooked as a vegetable or as part of a prepared savory dish. Some people prefer to eat onions raw or to make pickles or chutneys.
Growing onions in your garden takes patience. But you will be rewarded with onions that taste and smell better than the ones you bought at the market.
How to grow onions in your garden
Growing onions in your garden will be very easy if you do everything perfectly. Here we will tell you everything about growing onions from planting, care to harvesting.
Choose a variety of onion
There are different types and varieties of onions to choose from. They vary in size, shape and color.
Different types of onions are available, such as red, yellow and white, ranging from small pickled to large. The shape of the arch also varies, such as spherical, apical or fusiform.
Among all these many varieties of onions, you should choose those that grow well in your area.
Ask any gardener in your area for the best deal.
Some common onion varieties are Spanish Sweet Yellow, Wethersfield Red, First Edition, Burgundy, White Bermuda, and Stuttgarter.
Buy seedlings, kits or seeds
Onions are grown in different ways. You can start growing onions with transplants, sets or seeds. Therefore, after choosing the varieties, you can buy seedlings, seedlings or seeds.
Best time to grow onions
The onion is cold. Thus, you should plan to grow your onions during the colder months (winter season).
Soil preparation
Onions are known for their hardiness and can be grown in almost any type of soil. But loamy soils are considered the best for growing onions in full sun and with a good drainage system.
Prepare the soil by adding as much organic fertilizer as possible. Well-rotted aged manure or homemade compost works well. Remember that onions are heavy feeders and require a constant supply of nutrients to produce large bulbs.
planting
Onions can be grown in different ways. You can choose to transplant, kit or seed.
Seedlings are seedlings grown during the current growing season and sold in bunches.
You can easily get transplants from any nursery near you. Transplanted plants form good bulbs in a short time, but they are prone to disease.
The sets are immature bulbs grown the previous year. Sets are the easiest to plant, harvest and are less prone to disease. Although kits are more prone to twisting.
At the same time, growing onions from seeds provides great advantages due to the wide variety of varieties. The main problem with growing onions from seed is that “it will take longer to mature (up to 4 months)”.
Whichever method you choose to plant your onions, space the plants 4 to 5 inches apart and in rows 12 to 18 inches apart.
When planting sets of onions, bury the plants no deeper than 1cm (onion is a leaf crop, not a root crop).
You can also plant sprouted onions, but you won’t get more onions (although you will get lots of delicious green sprouts).
Care
After planting seedlings or sets of onions, you will need to pay close attention to better growth and yield. Here are the general maintenance steps.
Feed / fertilizer
Onion plants are big eaters. They need additional fertilizer for better growth.
Therefore, you will need to fertilize the plants every few weeks for bigger bulbs. To do this, use seasoned manure or compost.
tearing
Allium plants generally require less water to grow than some other crops. They will grow well without constant watering if mulch is used.
But watering is necessary, especially in drought conditions. About 1 inch of water per week is sufficient. If you want softer onions, you will need to water more.
Mulching
When growing onions, mulching is necessary. This will help keep moisture in the soil and also prevent most weeds from growing.
Cannabis control
Adding mulch between rows will help prevent most weeds. Use a pointed hoe to control weeds.
Pulling or digging up weeds can damage the shallow roots of onions, so avoid doing this.
liquefaction
Give the onions enough space to grow normally. If you sow seeds, thinning is essential. Pull up a few plants and space them 4 to 5 inches apart.
Some common problems when growing onions
There are several common problems (including pests and diseases) when growing onions in the home garden. Here we are talking about common problems.
onion larvae
Onion larvae lay their eggs at the base of onion plants. The larvae hatch and burrow into the stems, feed on plants below the ground and eventually kill the plants.
Crop rotation is a good way to avoid this. Covering new seedlings will prevent egg laying and the use of diatomaceous earth is also effective.
thrips
Thrips are small, yellowish-brown flying insects that feed on leaves and can cause twists and curls. Sometimes the plant is forced to stop growing, which eventually prevents the bulbs from maturing.
Planting a resistant variety will help prevent this problem. Using organic materials such as neem and insecticidal soap will help prevent thrips.
Red
In wet soils, you may experience neck or stem rot or bulb rot. A good drainage and air circulation system can help prevent rot.
split
If the soil stays dry while the bulbs are forming, the bulbs will crack or split.
Harvest
You can expect the onion harvest when the onion plants start sprouting flower stalks. This means that the onion has stopped growing and now is the best time to harvest it.
Just pull the onion when the leaves turn brown. And after harvesting, let the onions dry out for a few weeks before storing them. And store the onions in a cool, dry place.
These are the stages of growing onions. Hope you enjoyed this guide! Happy gardening 🙂
