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In the past year, both Ben Vanheems and I have written about the virtues
of growing onions from seed. We left out many small details, which I've
been keeping track of in recent weeks as I've been growing onions from
seed myself. Please bear in mind that I am an onion maniac, and I have
no explanation for my obsession with growing onions and shallots from
seed to table year after year. I am driven to do it, which explains the
evolution of these ten guidelines for growing onions from seed.
The tops of my florescent plant lights are flat, and they give off just the
right amount of bottom heat needed to help onion seeds germinate
quickly. Onion germination is fastest as 68-77°F (20-25°C), with slight
temperature drops at night. Before I started using the top of my plant
light, I found that the top of the refrigerator was a sufficiently warm
place to germinate onions. I enclose newly seeded containers in a plastic
bag to maintain moisture, provide them with bottom heat, and the onion
seeds germinate in about 8 days.
Onion roots are concentrated in the area just below the bulbs. As I
prepare the planting bed, I make deep planting trenches and line them
with rich compost and/or composted organic fertilizer. This technique,
called banding fertilizer, places a cache of organic riches where the
onions can utilize it early on, during the plants' most active period of
growth. Providing bioactive compost is important when growing onions,
because onions take up much of the phosphorous they need through
partnerships with soil-borne mycorrhizal fungi.
Once my onion seedlings are in the ground, the war with weeds gets into
full swing. Skinny onions are notoriously poor competitors with weeds,
so they require a certain level of tending. Each year I find myself
interplanting more arugula, lettuce and other leafy greens among my
little onions grown from seed. Employed as smother crops, salad greens
are much more fun to pull compared to weeds, and onions grown from
seed seem to like their company.
Once my onion seedlings are in the ground, the war with weeds gets into
full swing. Skinny onions are notoriously poor competitors with weeds,
so they require a certain level of tending. Each year I find myself
interplanting more arugula, lettuce and other leafy greens among my
little onions grown from seed. Employed as smother crops, salad greens
are much more fun to pull compared to weeds, and onions grown from
seed seem to like their company.
By Barbara Pleasant
Onions can be planted from transplants, sets, or started from seed. Onion
transplants are sold in bunches and can be purchased online or at your
local garden center. Onions sets are immature bulbs grown the previous
year and are easily found at your local garden centers and nurseries in the
spring.
Onion seeds do not last long so only purchase 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:
Short-day onions are ideal for the plant hardiness Zone 7 and
warmer where the mild weather allows them to grow through the
fall and winter months and harvested in March, April and May.
Short-day onions are triggered to bulb when sunlight increases to
10-12 hours (look yours up here). Some common short day onions
are Red Burgundy, Vidalia, and Red Creole.
Day-neutral, or intermediate-day onions can be grown in almost
all climates. Day-neutral onions are prompted to bulb when sunlight
increases to 12-14 hours. Common day-neutral onions
are Candy and Cabernet.
Long-day onions are what we grow in the North in plant
hardiness Zone 6 and cooler. They are sown early under lights and
transplanted to the garden in spring so they have plenty of time to
grow before forming bulbs. Long-day onions are triggered to bulb
when sunlight increases to 14-16 hours (look yours up here). Some
common long-day onions are Paterson, White Sweet Spanish,
and Ailsa Craig.
1. 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.
3. Once the seeds sprout, remove the humidity dome, and place under
lights in a cool location (See How to Build a Grow Light System).
4. Keep soil evenly moist. Water with diluted fish emulsion or compost
tea every two weeks. Trim the tops with scissors to keep the onion
seedlings around 3-inches high. This will help the containers from
becoming top heavy and furnish more nutrients to the roots instead of the
foliage. The trimmings can be added to soups, salads, or used as a pizza
topping.
Onions are cold hardy and can endure cool spring temperatures. Begin
hardening off onion transplants about 4-weeks before your last expected
frost date (look up yours here). Watch your weather for freezing
temperatures. Onions can withstand cool temperatures but the young
seedlings are vulnerable to frosts and freezes. How to Harden Off
Transplants.
Hardening off is the process of adapting plants to the outside so they can
adjust to sunlight, cool nights, and less frequent watering. Begin
hardening off in a sheltered location for a few hours on the first day,
increase a little each day, until the seedlings are outside overnight.
Transplanting Onion Seedlings to the Garden:
Select a growing location that receives full sun or six or more hours of
direct sunlight per day. Onions grow best in loose, fertile soil that drains
well. Amend with finished compost to add nutrients and organic material
to aid with drainage. Before planting, work in an all-purpose organic
fertilizer, such as Espoma Plant Tone into the soil.
2. Most times the root ball breaks apart when removed from the container.
If the onions are more densely seeded, the roots will hold the soil
together more firmly. Gently tease the onion seedlings apart for planting
one at a time so the roots don’t dry out.
3. Transplant the separated seedlings 3 to 4 inches apart depending on the
variety (check the seed package for recommended spacing). I use a fork
or small tool to transplant onion seedlings. I pull the soil forward, place
the onion seedling in the hole, and gently push back the soil. No patting
or tamping in.
4. Once seedlings are transplanted, water the bed gently. Onions have a
shallow root system and need to be watered frequently to keep the soil
evenly moist. Keep the bed weeded so the onions don’t have to compete
for nutrients or resources.
https://growagoodlife.com/how-to-grow-onions-from-seed/
Step 1
Sow seed in a pot or tray of seed compost. The seeds are small, but try and
space them about 1cm apart. Lightly cover with a thin layer of compost then
stand pot or tray in water to moisten.
Step 2
When the seedlings are a few inches tall, prick them out and transplant into
fresh compost. Once established, transplant seedlings into the garden,
10-15cm apart.
Planting out onion seedlings
Step 3
Alternatively, in spring, plant heat-treated onion sets, into soil that has had
large stones and weeds removed, and been enriched with organic matter.
Plant each set 10-15cm apart, with the tip protruding. Water newly planted
sets and cover immediately with horticultural fleece, to prevent birds from
lifting them. Once firmly rooted, the developing crops can be uncovered.
Planting onion sets
Step 4
Using a watering can with a rose, thoroughly water seedlings and sets directly
after planting to settle soil around roots or bulbs. Repeat at regular intervals if
the weather is dry.
Watering onions
Step 5
Hoe regularly to remove weeds, which will compete for water and nutrients
with developing bulbs. A hand-held ‘onion hoe’ or ‘circle hoe’ are both perfect
for weeding in small spaces.
Using a hoe to remove weeds
Step 6
In late summer, draw away earth from the bulbs to expose them to the sun.
Harvest after the leaves turn yellow and the stem bends over. Allow leaves to
dry before carefully lifting bulbs.
Drying onions for storing
Once dried, a convenient way to store onions is to string them up in onions
ropes and hang them in a cool, dry, frost-free place. Select only unblemished
bulbs with narrow, well-closed necks. Wide-necked onions do not store well
so usethem first.
https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-onions
-from-seed/