Begin growing onions even if your new to gardening

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Onion are available in several different ways for planting.

You can purchase the seeds, bulbs or the seedlings to plant. The choice is a matter of preference but many people find that the easiest way is to start them from seeds indoors.

No matter which method you choose for planting onions, they need a spot where they will get at the least 6 hours of sun.

Planting Onion

If you decide to plant the bulbs, make sure they are not too large. Marble size is the recommended size. The larger ones will not do as well as this size and they should not have sprouted yet.

Check them to make sure they are healthy and feel firm. Plant the bulbs in the spring. You can plant them before the threat of frost is over but the weather should be beginning to get warm.

The bulbs should be planted with the pointed part up and they should be about 2 inches deep. Make sure you place them about 3 or 4 inches apart.

If you plant the seeds, you should start them from 8 to 12 weeks before you will be transplanting them to the outdoors. They should be kept trimmed to about 4 inches during this time.

They should not be planted until the threat of frost is over. The transplants can be planted just barely in the ground. They will need plenty of water.

The onions will be ready for harvest when the tops fall over.

They can be pulled at this point and put somewhere to dry. The best way to preserve the onions for the longest period of time is to keep them dry and prevent bruising by separating them.

They should not be allowed to touch each other. One way many people do this is to spread them on a screen. This allows the right amount of air to ventilate them and keep them dry.

Onion Pests and Disease:

One of the problems reported when growing onions is rotting. The cause of this is poor draining soil. Choosing an area that has a good drainage will keep the onions from rotting before they have a chance to grow.

On the other hand if the soil is too dry the bulbs will split. The most important time is when they are forming so watering regularly will prevent this.

Another problem when growing Onions are thrips.

They are small insects of a yellow-brown color that will eat the leaves of the onions. The plant will stop growing if it is repeatedly attacked by these flying insects.

One way to prevent these insects from attacking your onions is to plant them far away from grain type plants. Using an insecticidal soap seems to work well.

Onion root maggots are another problem that can cause problems. They lay eggs at the base of the onion and the hatchlings burrow their way into the stems.

They will feed on the onion just below the soil and this will kill the onion eventually. When planting seedlings cover them and this will keep the root maggot from laying eggs close to the onion.

Onions can be stored for a long time if they are in the right conditions. Keeping them cool and dry will allow some types to be kept for up to a year.