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NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN FOR APRIL 16, 2016
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GROWING ONIONS PART #2
BY GEORGE EDGAR
TIME TO PLANT YOUR ONIONS
NOW? It depends. In growing onions the first question you must
answer is “How are you going to
use these onions?” Onions can be used (1) as green table onions, (2)
as sweet onions for use on hamburgers and in salads as soon as they are
harvested, and (3) as dry or storage onions which are usually used in
cooking.
Last week I wrote about planting onion seeds and onion sets. Now
for defining short day, intermediate day, and long day in choosing
onions and then about onion plants. SHORT DAY,
INTERMEDIATE DAY, AND LONG DAY
In the literature and on signs in the Garden Center by the onions
for sale, you will see mentioned these three groups of onions:
“Short
Day varieties require fewer daylight hours to start bulb
formation and to reach maturity. Therefore they are best suited for
southern areas of our country. (Because the sun in summer is farther
north, the southern areas have less sunlight.)
INTERMEDIATE DAY and
LONG DAY varieties require
more daylight hours to start bulb formation and to mature. They will
grow best in the mid and northern areas of our country because of the
longer daylight during spring and summer.”(4) ONION PLANTS
“Onion plants may be purchased by name variety.
Sweeter and milder onions do not have a long storage life. The
stronger the taste of your large onion, the better it will keep and it
will not bruise so easily.”
“After purchasing onion plants, plant them as soon as possible,
since they are live plants.
The onion will live approximately three weeks off the bulb and will
shoot new roots after planting.
Onion plants should be planted approximately 1 inch deep with 4
inch spacing if you wish to harvest the onions during the growing
season. Pull every other one as a table onion, leaving space for growth
of larger remaining onions. Plants may be set out 4 to 6 weeks prior to
the average spring freeze. Onion plants are hardy and can withstand
temperatures of 20 degrees F.” (1) PLANTING AND
GROWING ONIONS
“The nature of the onion is to grow tops in cool weather and form
bulbs in warm weather. Those varieties grown in the north require 14 to
16 hours of daylight. The reason we plant some of our varieties from
plants rather than from sets is because the bulb will not get large
enough unless it is already half grown and thus will mature into a big
onion by the time we get to late summer and cooler weather of fall.
Good sized onion plants planted early will make a larger bulb
than the normal onion set. Onion plants are the best way to grow the
biggest, sweetest onions because you get a head start on the growing
season. Onions are heavy feeders. One should work manure and fertilizer
into the soil before planting. A pound of manure to each square foot of
ground and 4 to 5 pounds of 5-10-5 fertilizer per 100 square feet will
do the job. A constant
supply of moisture is essential.
It is especially important during the bulb enlargement.
Both plants and sets make excellent green onions fresh from the
garden.” (2) References: 1. “Onions, Potatoes” and Sweet Potatoes: Planting,
Growing, and Harvesting”.
Free brochure from Earl May Seed and Nursery, Shenandoah, Iowa 51503. (www.earlmay.com) 2. “Onions” Free handout from Campbells Nursery and
Garden Center, Lincoln, NE.
(www.campbellsnursery.com) 3. “Onions” pm1889 Revised June 2009 Prepared by
Cindy Hanes, Eldon Everhart, and Richard Jauron, Extension
horticulturists: Diane Nelson, extension communication specialist, and
Jane Lenahan, extension graphic designer. Iowa State University:
University Extension, Ames, Iowa (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1889.pdf) 4. Brown’s Omaha Plant Farms, Inc., Omaha, TX
75571, 2013 catalog. (Free
catalog available at www.bopf.com Copyright 2016 |