 |
Depth to Plant
|
Spacing Between Plants |
Best Season to Plant_________ |
Soil
|
Days to Maturity
|
| 1" Deep | 4-6" Apart | Fall & Winter | pH 7.0-7.5 | 90-100 |
Onions have small, inefficient root system and need moist soil. Keep them constantly well watered. But when the plants approach maturity their bulbs stop enlarging and begin to form skins. When this happens, withhold further irrigation and hope it does not rain much. Ideally, the bulbs will mature in very dry soil. This helps the skins to cure and makes your bulbs keep better.
Shallots have a milder taste and odor than onions, and are more commonly eaten raw. However, when cooked, shallots can lose their flavor quickly, and so onions are preferable in cooked food like stir fries.
WHEN TO PLANT BULB ONIONS:
Onion sets are quite hardy and can withstand 20° F frost. They should be set out 4-6 weeks prior to the last expected spring frost. When your plants arrive they should appear to be quite dry. DO NOT WET THEM NOR STICK THEIR ROOTS IN WATER. Unpack them and store them in a cool, dry place until it is time to plant. They should last about 3 weeks kept this way. Do not worry that your plants seem dry. They will "shoot" new roots and new, green tops as soon as they are planted.
HOW TO CARE FOR BULB ONIONS:
Onions have small, inefficient root system and need moist soil. Keep them constantly well watered. But when the plants approach maturity their bulbs stop enlarging and begin to form skins. When this happens, withhold further irrigation and hope it does not rain much. Ideally, the bulbs will mature in very dry soil. This helps the skins to cure and makes your bulbs keep better.
HOW TO HARVEST AND STORE BULB ONIONS:
Once your onion tops begin to fall or flop over, it might be time to harvest them. If the weather is wet or frost seems possible, move the harvested onions immediately into a protected spot to dry and fully cure.
As they dry, the necks will wither and tighten around the bulbs. At this point you can use scissors to trim the roots off the bottom of each bulb and put into the onions into long term storage.
