Growing onions

Onion seed starting is easy. Onions grow best in fertile, well-draining soil. This should also be worked with organic matter, such as compost. Onion seeds can be planted directly in the garden bed.

However, when growing onion seed, some people prefer to start them indoors. This can be done about late October to mid November. 

The best time for planting onion seeds outdoors is in spring, as soon as the soil can be worked This occurs here in Ohio during late March or April. Place them about an inch deep in the soil and approximately half an inch or more apart. If planting rows, space them at least one and half to two feet apart.

Remember that hard freezes can damage young seedlings. Since onion seedlings are fairly cold-tolerant, they survive in the soil in cold weather as long as the ground doesn't freeze. When the plants have 6 to 10 leaves, thin to three inches apart and use the pulled onions as scallions. This is your early season treat!

While onion germination occurs within 7-10 days, soil temperature affects this process tremendously. In cooler soils (40F) expect up to 2 weeks. Warm soil temperatures, on the other hand, can trigger onion seed germination in as little as four days.

Once seedlings have sufficient leaf growth, thin them down to around 3-4 inches apart. Transplant onion seedlings that were started indoors about 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost or freeze date, provided the ground is not frozen.

Onion plants have shallow roots and require frequent irrigation throughout the growing season. However, once the tops begin to lay over, usually by late summer, watering should be stopped. At this point, onions can be lifted.

Keep Gardens weed-free with mulch or shallow cultivation, since onions don't compete well with fast-growing weeds.