Any tips for growing onions?

[dconklin]

Last year was the first year I grew onions. I planted them early in the spring as somebody had told me that they like the cooler weather. I followed the instructions - water consistently daily and also to thin them out as they grow. The only problem is that they never really got too big. I mean they were great scallions, but I never got any real size onion like the onions you would see in the store (not even like the smaller onions.)

Anybody have any tips for growing onions and getting nice sized onions?

 

[happyflowerlady]

It takes a long time for an onion to grow a large bulb, and they are a cool weather item, so probably about stopped growing during the heat. I live in Alabama, and down here there are wild onions, and they come up in the fall, and grow all winter, and then die when the weather warms up. I have onions in my garden now, and use them for green onions. I love green onions in salad, and almost anything I am making to eat. I would suggest that you leave the onions in until late this fall, and see if you don't get some good sized ones.

 

[zigs]

They bolt (go to seed) if they get too cold. They think winter has been and do their best to reproduce instead of forming a bulb. I've got some sets in trays at the moment, normally would have planted them out by now but its been too cold so far this spring. Weather is due to warm up next week so i'll be planting out then.

I'd expect them to bulb up by August.

 

[dconklin]

They bolt (go to seed) if they get too cold. They think winter has been and do their best to reproduce instead of forming a bulb. I've got some sets in trays at the moment, normally would have planted them out by now but its been too cold so far this spring. Weather is due to warm up next week so i'll be planting out then.

I'd expect them to bulb up by August.

How cold is it where you are? Just to get an idea of temperatures they do not like. I have tried twice with onions. One time from seeds that I started indoors but not early enough in the season and the other time was from small onion plants. They did start to grow, just not anywhere near as much as I had hoped for when I bought them as plants.

When I started them from the seeds I had absolutely no luck. I will perfect these one year!

 

[zigs]

It has been hovering around freezing recently, its warming up now, currently 10C but the ground will take a bit longer to warm up.

I started some Kelsae onions from seed first week of january, but since then its been so dull they've mostly keeled over, the ones that have survived have hardly grown at all.

Just been reading an article by Monty Don, he noted that a load of his crops bolted last year, things like chard, parsley and cauliflowers, it certainly wasn't caused by drought, but he thinks it was the lack of light. We had a terrible overcast year last year.

 

[dconklin]

It has been hovering around freezing recently, its warming up now, currently 10C but the ground will take a bit longer to warm up.

I started some Kelsae onions from seed first week of january, but since then its been so dull they've mostly keeled over, the ones that have survived have hardly grown at all.

Just been reading an article by Monty Don, he noted that a load of his crops bolted last year, things like chard, parsley and cauliflowers, it certainly wasn't caused by drought, but he thinks it was the lack of light. We had a terrible overcast year last year.

Ok, it is a little warmer here. I know last year it was recommended to start the onions in March, but now this year March was a bit colder then normal. We have been 50s and 60s here with a couple days a little colder and a couple days a little warmer. March was mostly still around freezing tho this year. April warmed up for us.

 

[blueiris]

I've grown onions in pots during the late summer and into fall and winter in Florida. They don't get to be gigantic bulbs, but I love them anyway.

 

[sissy]

They are just like potato's as long as the soil is loose they will grow .I through all my shredded mail on the ground and dug it into the soil and they have nice loose ground to grow .

 

[zigs]

All my sets are in now, pricked out the Kelsae onions that I grew from seed into bigger pots today.

Hopefully they'll pick up now the sun has come back.

 

[dconklin]

All my sets are in now, pricked out the Kelsae onions that I grew from seed into bigger pots today.

Hopefully they'll pick up now the sun has come back.

How long do you grow your seedlings before transplanting them? I have done ok with tomatoes, but my onions didn't have a chance when I tried them from seeds. Not sure if I didn't let them go long enough - I think they were about 3 inches high when I planted them outside but they didn't make it at all. But then again when I did it from seeds I planted them a little too late in the season not knowing.

 

[lovinglife]

One thing to keep in mind is your region and to buy the correct type of onions, long day, short day etc. Then for me it was water water water. They like water but not standing water. One year I planted my onions in the wrong place and they got far more water than I wanted them to have, I had HUGE onions that were just awesome! I used one in place of two large onions in a recipe and I think I had about twice as much onion as I should have... We live in the hot dry desert so I must water this way or get nothing... Just saying what works for me.

 

[zigs]

How long do you grow your seedlings before transplanting them? I have done ok with tomatoes, but my onions didn't have a chance when I tried them from seeds. Not sure if I didn't let them go long enough - I think they were about 3 inches high when I planted them outside but they didn't make it at all. But then again when I did it from seeds I planted them a little too late in the season not knowing.

In a normal year only about a month, but this has been a spring with no light & freezing temperatures. I'm way behind. I'm thinking of making another sowing & treating this month just like early March again.

 

[rosalinephillips]

Last year was the first year I grew onions. I planted them early in the spring as somebody had told me that they like the cooler weather. I followed the instructions - water consistently daily and also to thin them out as they grow. The only problem is that they never really got too big. I mean they were great scallions, but I never got any real size onion like the onions you would see in the store (not even like the smaller onions.)

Anybody have any tips for growing onions and getting nice sized onions?

I had the same issue with growing onions, but at least you saw something. In my case, I planted the onion bulbs and looked for growth, but unfortunately never did see anything. At least you were able to get some scallions from your onions, as I said, I didn't even get that but I would love to know the best way to get some great results from onions because I am an onion girl, I love cooking with onions all the time so it would be great to produce my own onions.

I did hear it takes time to grow some nice size onions. I'm thinking of trying again and am also thinking about trying garlic as well. I wish you better luck with your onions, please wish me luck as well (lol).

 

[rosalinephillips]

In a normal year only about a month, but this has been a spring with no light & freezing temperatures. I'm way behind. I'm thinking of making another sowing & treating this month just like early March again.

I'm with you zigs, I don't think I gave my onions long enough to grow, I may have given up and accidentally dug the bulbs up and I was looking so forward to seeing some onions, but I'm certainly thinking of trying again this spring.

 

[dconklin]

I'm with you zigs, I don't think I gave my onions long enough to grow, I may have given up and accidentally dug the bulbs up and I was looking so forward to seeing some onions, but I'm certainly thinking of trying again this spring.

I do know that you have to thin them out. Did you have too many plants together? Also I was told to water them everyday if it didn't rain and to not miss a day. I am thinking mine just didn't get enough time now tho.

Garlic is something that you want to give quite some time to grow. I planted some last year and even by the end of the summer, they were not big. I do have some in the garden still from last year (I didn't see them there earlier so wondering if the green was no longer green for a little while.)

Good luck with the onions and I will try them again next year.