Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Onions are a popular tuber that is commonly grown in the garden because it can be used in a variety of dishes, is easy to grow and takes up little space. Also, the growing season of onions is usually short, meaning you can start harvesting onions in the spring, then dry and store them in the winter.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Preparing to plant

1. 

   Choose the type of onion to grow. Like most other fruits and vegetables, onions come in many varieties and each has its own appeal for many different reasons. In general, onions come in 3 colors: white, yellow and red / purple, each with its own flavor. In addition, onions are also classified into two categories, long-term and short-term. The reason is called long-day onions because this type starts to germinate during daytime, lasting 14-16 hours (around late spring / summer). Meanwhile, the short-day onions start to germinate during daytime, lasting 10-12 hours (around winter / early spring).
   • Long-day onions generally do well in the North American states, while short-day onions do well in the southern states of the United States.
   • Yellow onions have a golden color and a mild sweet taste. Meanwhile, the white onions have a more spicy taste and are stronger than the yellow onions. Red onions are purple in color and are often eaten raw instead of cooked.

2. 

   
   
   Decide how to grow onions. In general, there are two common ways to grow onions: grow onions from bulbs or seeds. Gardeners often prefer to grow tubers because onions are harder and more resistant to extreme weather than onions. However, you can still grow onions yourself from seeds if you have the conditions and determination, then you can move them out. You can grow onions in the soil during warm weather.
   • You can also grow onions using extracts / grafting, but this method is often unsuccessful and more difficult than the method of growing from seeds or bulbs.
   • Visit your local nursery to see which onion bulbs and seeds can thrive in your area.

3. 

   
   
   Know when to plant. Onions are difficult to grow if they are not planted at the right time. If onions are grown in cold weather, they may die or flower more easily than they do in spring. If you are planting an onion seed, you should start planting it indoors, at least about 6 weeks before planting. Make sure to sow the onions 6 weeks before the last day of winter ends, then move them out to plant.

4. 

   
   
   Choose the ideal location. Although not too picky, but onions also need some special conditions. Choose an airy and sunny planting space. The onions will do well if they have enough room to grow, so the more room you give the onions, the larger they will swell. Avoid planting onions where they are obscured by other plants.
   • Onions can thrive on a raised garden. So if you don't have enough space to grow onions in your garden, you can also build your own raised garden to grow onions.

5. 

   Prepare the land. If you can prepare the soil for a few months before planting, you will be able to harvest onions better. If possible, you should start working with soil and fertilizing in the fall. If the soil is full of gravel, sand, or clay, mix in a potted soil to balance the soil. In addition, you also need to test the pH of the soil and add the necessary compounds to create a soil with a pH of 6-7.5.
   • Testing and changes in soil pH should be carried out for at least 1 month before planting, so that soil additives have time to work and form a foundation for later development.

Part 2 of 2: Growing onions

1. 

   Have your soil ready. When you're ready to plant onions, dig a hole 15 cm deep, then add a layer (1 cup for about 6 m of soil) of phosphate to the soil. However, you should only add phosphate fertilizers on soils that are low in phosphorus. Make sure to test the soil before planting. Use a mixture of fertilizer 10-20-10 or 0-20-0 to stimulate growth. Also, make sure to eliminate all of the grass in your garden.

2. 

   Dig holes. Plant onions in such a way that the soil above the onion or seedling is not more than 2.5 cm thick. If onions are buried too deep in the soil, onions may shrink and inhibit growth. Each onion should be planted 10-15 cm apart, and the seeds should be sown 2.5-5 cm apart. When the onions start to grow, you can either replant them or stretch the planting intervals to increase the size of the onion's growth.

3. 

   Growing onions. Sow the onion seeds into the hole you just dug, then cover with soil about 0.5-1 cm high. Onions should not be buried more than 5 cm deep of soil. Use your hands or shoes to pat the top soil firmly. Onions will do better in covered soil. After planting, water a little more and wait for the onions to grow.
   • Onions grown by extraction require more water than those grown with bulbs or seeds, so provide extra moisture if you are growing onions using this method.

4. 

   Take care of the onion garden. Onions are quite perishable because of the fragile root system, which is easily damaged or easily affected by weeds or uprooting. Use a hoe to dig up the tops of the raised grass, instead of pulling the grass out, as weeding can pull on both onion roots and hinder the development of onions. Water onions about 2.5 cm of water per week and add nitrogenous fertilizer once a month to provide additional nutrients. Immediately after planting, add a thin mulch between each onion plant to retain moisture and prevent weeds.
   • If you want the onions to taste sweet, you can water more than usual.
   • If the onions flower, cut them off. Flowering onions are often not able to grow to the correct size and flavor.

5. 

   Harvest the onion. Onions are fully mature when the tops appear golden yellow. At this point, you can fold the onion to lie on the ground. This will help transfer more nutrients down the onion instead of the scallion. After 24 hours, the onion will turn brown and ready to be pulled. Pull the onions out of the soil, cutting off about 2.5 cm of the shoots from the bulbs and roots. Let the onions dry for 1-2 days in the sun, then transfer to a dry indoor place and continue to dry for 2-4 weeks.
   • Preserving the warranty in leather socks or mesh panels helps to increase air circulation during dry journey. This will help preserve the onions for a longer time and retain their flavor.
   • Sweet onions may spoil sooner because they contain more water. Therefore, you should eat these onions first to avoid them spoiling.
   • You should throw away, cut away, or immediately use onions that show signs of rot to prevent onions from spreading to other onions you are storing.

Advice

• To make the onions grow faster in the garden, you can plant them in a pot with moist soil for 2 weeks before moving to your garden.Keep the pot indoors until the onions sprout and have roots before you're ready to plant them.
• To prevent diseases and destructive microorganisms, you can try growing radishes and onions together in the same garden.

Warning

• Onions are resistant to pests and diseases, but can still be eaten by maggots. Use the insecticide soap according to the instructions to control the maggots.
• Different types of onions need different daytime lengths and generally prefer warmer weather over coolness. Make sure you buy onions locally to make sure you're growing the right onion for your area.