How To Grow Onions

Growing onions from seed can be hard and frustrating for those new to growing their own vegetables, particularly in the cooler areas of the United Kingdom, which is why so many of the shop onions bought one come from Spain.

The alternative solution is to grow them from what are know as “onion sets”. Basically “onion sets” are small immature onions already partially grown by a specialist wholesaler from seed one year, and available for sale to be planted by gardeners the next year to grow into mature onion plants with out the need to grow from seed.

Whilst all onion plants require good quality, well drained soil, onion sets are nowhere near as demanding to grow and are ideal for those new to gardening and growing their own vegetables. Onions are well suited to growing in raised beds and like soil with a lot of well-rotted manure in it.

Once the manure is dug in then you need to rake the top soil into a fine a tilth as possible. Then you need to firm down the bed by walking all over it or standing on a plank to firm up the soil.

When purchasing your onion sets, which are readily available from garden centres, once you have opened them up cut off any excess dead growth from the growing tip or birds may be tempted to pull them out of the ground. Accordingly staking anti-bird netting over them is a good idea.

The onion sets can be planted mid March to mid April, approximately 4 inches apart in a row, with distances of 8 to 9 inches in between rows. To plant onion sets simply make a small hole in the soil then place them one per hole such that the growing tip is just below the surface and then firm up the soil around it. Then ensure they are well watered over.

Keep weeds around the onions to a minimum, as they do not like their roots disturbed.

Onions can be harvested in August to September as soon as their leaves become yellow. Onions can simply be eased out of the ground.

You will then need to leave the onions to dry out for around 2 to 4 weeks. You can do this by hanging up a piece of string in your house or shed and tying the leaves to the string to let the onions hang down and dry out.

Once dry the Onions can then be eaten or stored in a cool area until needed. For any problems growing them see Onion Pests And Diseases

If you like growing onions then why not find out How to Grow Shallots

By Richard Allen -