Planting Onions, How to Grow Onions, and Harvesting and Storing Onions
Design Your Own Vegetable Garden Layout Using our Free "Vegetable Garden Planner" Software! Yes, there are a lot of onions that you can find in the market and you can choose which ones are of great quality. It is also even easy to find onions grown in many backyards across town. Why could this be? With the ease and convenience of planting onions right in your backyard, onions have become very popular for growing in home vegetable gardens. One of the easiest vegetables to grow in the garden, onions can take a short 30 days to 100 days to mature from onion set to the table. There are very simple steps to follow and you are also assured that they are truly organic and devoid of harmful pesticides. So why not grow you own onions? Download Free Garden Planning Worksheets, Garden Diary, Zone Chart, Or Planting Guide Where to Grow Onions?The first question is where to grow your onions. Well, planting onions is best when temperatures are a little cool, at around 55 to 70 degrees. They are frost tolerant, so they are suitable for a growing in cooler climate conditions. A hotter environment is required when the foliage and the root have started to develop and the bulb has begun to grow.Planting Onions in a Square Foot GardenClick Here for a Free Square-Foot Garden Plan  Onions can also be easily planted and grown in container gardens, raised bed gardens, and traditional back yard row gardens. See our "free garden plans" for more vegetable garden plans that include planting onions.
What Type of Soil is Best when Planting Onions?,Onions should be planted in a well-drained, loose soil where there is plenty of organic matter. A soil pH of 6.5 is ideal, since onions do not favor soil that has a high acidity. If you don't know the pH level of your soil, you can have it tested at your local garden center or county extension service. However, onion plants are adaptable, and will usually do well in any soil with added compost or other organic fertilizer. Onions love nitrogen, so a soil that has a high content of nitrogen would be ideal.Where to Plant Onions?Plant onions in a place where they get at least 10 hours of sunlight each day and can be watered regularly. Onions grow best when planted in full sun.Planting Onion Sets or Seeds?Onion sets are small onions that can be purchased from a garden store or seed company for planting. Onions can also be grown from seeds.More often than not, when planting onions, sets are more favored over seeds as the sets takes a shorter time to grow. Seeds are also limited to certain climates and seasons. Green onions and scallions can easily be grown from seeds.
Watering Onion PlantsIt is best to water the onions moderately as they do not require a lot of water. If the tops of the plants look like they are wilting, it is time to provide an inch or so of water. If you live in a climate with summer rain showers, you may not need to provide much extra water for your onion plants. Generally, 1 inch of water per week is enough for onion plants.
Harvesting OnionsAt the end of the growing season, when onions have reached the proper size for the variety you have planted, carefully dig or pull the plants from the ground. Leave them in the sun to dry for several days, or move them to a sheltered area and lay them out to dry for 10 days. The outer layer of the onion should begin to dry and become papery.Storing Onions for Later UseTo store onions after they have dried, place them in a mesh bag in a cool, dry location. Or the dried onion tops can be braided together, and the onions hung in a cool, dry location.Making Easter Eggs Using Onion SkinsMy great-grandmother taught us to make beautiful mahogany-colored easter eggs using the dry brown outer onion skins. We layered the uncooked eggs and onion skins in a pan of cold water. Then the eggs and onions skins are brought to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the eggs cool to room temperature. Remove from water. Rub the eggs with a small amount of vegetable oil to give them a shine. These beautiful reddish brown eggs are even more lovely than pastel colored eggs!Planting Onions to Vegetable Gardening You Might Also like to Read:
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Free plans for planting onions in container or backyard vegetable gardens. Learn how to grow onions from seeds or sets, and how to harvest and store onions.
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