How to Grow Onions

Plant onions in early spring once the ground is workable. In-ground gardens and raised beds are both excellent options for growing onions. Space onion plants 6 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart. Grow them in a sunny spot that has fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.

What is the best way to grow onions?
What happens if you plant a sprouting onion?
How many onions can you grow from one onion?
What is the best time to plant onions?
Do onions need full sun?
How deep should onion bulbs be planted?
How do I know when my onions are ready to harvest?
Can onions be grown in containers?
What is the best fertilizer for growing onions?

What is the best way to grow onions?

Plant the onion sets 5–10cm (2–4in) apart, in rows 25–30cm (10–12in) apart, from mid-March to mid-April or in September. Gently push the sets into soft, well-prepared soil so the tip is just showing. Firm the soil around them and water well.

What happens if you plant a sprouting onion?

In short the answer is, YES! You can plant a sprouted onion and grow a new one. Actually usually you'll get three new onions from one sprouted onion! When your onions start to look rotten…

How many onions can you grow from one onion?

If you plant the whole cut bottom as one piece, you may get more than one new onion but they will likely be crowded together and small. The number of plants a single onion can grow will vary from 1-6, the onion pictured above can be divided into two.

What is the best time to plant onions?

Onions like cool weather in the early part of their growth, so plant them in spring — except in mild-winter areas, where onions are grown as a fall or winter crop. Generally speaking, onions grow tops in cool weather and form bulbs when the weather warms.

Do onions need full sun?

Onions need full sun. Select a location where your onions won't be shaded by other plants. Onions need well-drained, loose and nitrogen-rich soil.

How deep should onion bulbs be planted?

Plant sets in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Sets should be planted at a depth of 1 to 1 1/2 inches in rows 12 to 15 inches apart. For dry onions, plant the sets 2 to 3 inches apart. Sets grown for green onions can be planted closer together.

How do I know when my onions are ready to harvest?

There is no perfect size, just pull when they are big enough to suit you. For full-sized bulbs, let onions grow and mature. They are ready to harvest when the bulbs are big and the tops begin to turn yellow and fall over. Pull them up, shake off the soil, and lay them out to cure with the tops still attached.

Can onions be grown in containers?

For growing onions in pots, select a container based on the type of onion. For onions you plan to harvest as scallions or spring green onions, an 8-inch (or larger) pot works fine. To raise bulb onions, you'll need a container wide enough so that each onion has about 3 inches of space around it.

What is the best fertilizer for growing onions?

Growing Season

Onions need a steady supply of nitrogen to form large bulbs. Side dress growing plants in early and midsummer with 1/2 cup nitrogen-based fertilizer. Use ammonium sulfate if your soil is alkaline because this fertilizer lowers the pH slightly. Ammonium nitrate works well for gardens with acidic soil.