Let’s talk about onions

[Silentrunning]

I wanted to start a thread devoted to onions of all kinds. I was wondering what experiences people have had growing them, cooking with them or whatever.

What got me thinking of this was I cleaned my garage refrigerator out last month and found a package of mummified scallions behind the crisper drawer. Just for fun I cut most of the dead green tops off and put them in a glass of rain water for a few days. After this I planted them in some home made potting soil. Now, 6 of the 8 onions are alive and well. 3 are even forming seed pods on the tops. What have you found interesting about onions?

 

[Meadowlark]

Everything about them is interesting to me. I've studied growing them for many years...and hopefully along the way have learned a few things about growing, storing, and using onions. What I've learned from the experience would easily fill several pages. They are definitely one of the most interesting veggies to grow in the home garden.

 

[marlingardener]

Onions are cheap at the grocer's, so many gardeners don't bother with them and miss out on a lot of fun!
We grow three types--a keeping yellow, a sweet white, and red salad onions. We'll be digging onions sometime within a week, and hanging them to dry in the barn.

I can't imagine cooking without onions. Onion parsley bread, caramelized onions on pork chops, fresh broccoli salad with red onion and sesame seed, and of course using an onion when making stock. Marvelous vegetable, and fun to plant, watch grow, and harvest (plus while drying they make the barn aromatic!).

 

[zigs]

Love onions

Got red and white ones on the plot, along with Shallots. Plus a few varieties of big ones coming on in the greenhouse.

We're looking into getting a dehydrator so will try a few in there to use for winter meals.

If we get time, i'd like to try caramelizing some too

Not tried making onion wine yet

 

[Silentrunning]

If we get time, i'd like to try caramelizing some too

Not tried making onion wine yet

Make your caramelized onions slowly and don’t over cook them.Butter and brown sugar is all it takes.

Onion wine? All it will do is give you a headache and make your breath stink.

 

[zigs]

Sounds good

Tetters won't like that

 

[vette-kid]

I'm trying to grow some, but no luck. For some reason they aren't bulbing up. I had one flower on me already and it was about an inch and a half.

 

[marlingardener]

Vette, perhaps you are planting them too deep. The top 1/3 should be above ground for onions to bulb. I don't know how deep ours are planted--I have a triangular shaped hoe that I use to make a furrow, and plant the onion sets in the furrow. I'll have to see how deep the hoe makes a furrow.

 

[vette-kid]

Good info, I'll try that with the next batch. I planted sets (mini bulbs). I think I put them about an inch or so down. Next batch I'll leave the top exposed.

 

[Meadowlark]

For best results, the onion set should be planted as shallow as possible...just covering the roots and enough dirt to support the set upright. As the bulb grows, remove the dirt or at least loosen it around the bulb to the roots. Soil tight to the bulb restricts its growth. This technique enables us to consistently grow 2 pound plus bulbs...topped by a 4 + pounder this season.

 

[vette-kid]

Suppose I should have asked this before planting!

 

[Matriste]

well onions sure sound intersting

 

[Tjohn]

Even I can grow onions ! We have yellow, white and red growing along the sides of a raised bed, all 100 bulbs we planted lived ( oops, only planned for 50%).