Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Onions

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    685

    Default Onions

    So, last year I decided I was going to grow onions. And it sort of worked out....sort of. I actually had a few sets that never seemed to take off for some reason, but on the whole, while my onions were pretty small, they were also really tasty, so I call it a win.

    Well, fast forward to today. The snow's all gone, and I went out to drop some stuff in the composter. The composter is on the other side of my vegetable patch from the house, and when I turned to come back inside, I saw what looked like....onion sprouts! So I lean down for a closer look, and sure enough, I missed a few of those unsuccessful sets from last year, and after wintering over, they've decided to start growing. Pretty cool! I'm hitting the store tonight, I will pick up some more onion sets, get them in the ground, and I will see which ones do better.


  2. #2

    Default

    Almost 40 years ago, my wife and I started growing scallions in pots to use. We were in a 2 room apartment.

    Good stuff

  3. #3
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    There are a couple of things that you can do to make certain you have nice onions. Start with the right onions for your location. Since you are in Canada you need to find Long Day onions. Examples of Long Day onions are Walla Walla Sweet, Yellow Sweet Spanish or White Sweet Spanish. You can use any brand as long as it's a Long Day onion. That requires around 15 hours of daylight. Second, you need to plant them in late winter or very early spring. You might actually be a little late in planting them. You want them in the ground as soon as you can work it. Third, plant them with a good fertilizer or loam mixture. Finally, don't let the dirt compact around them. They like very loose soil. I keep the dirt pulled back from the bulb so only the roots are in the ground. If the tops get too large I usually break them over.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    685

    Default

    Winter took it's own sweet time leaving this year....the soil has only been workable for probably a few days. I'd actually intended to get some in the ground last fall to see if they might winter over, but my sister was having some problems, and then suddenly there was snow.

  5. #5

    Default

    It was a really bad year for me to test overwintering onions here. I'd say about half froze into mush. The Garlic all made it. If I plant now, I can grow from sets. Picked up some Stutgarter sets today really cheap at the local ag store. Gonna do a seed plot later in the early summer to grow on sets for next year. Even if I start seed in January under lights, I can't get them large enough in one season.

    A note on Walla Walla, they are not keepers. Maybe 4-6 weeks tops.
    White onions are generally sweet and sweet onions do not store well.
    If you want something that will last over the winter, the Spanish yellows are good ones, so are Stutgartter. Patterson are good too.
    If we are to have another contest in…our national existence I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's, but between patriotism & intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition & ignorance on the other…
    ~ President Ulysses S. Grant

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    685

    Default

    I've got spanish yellow sets....they keep pretty well, and I like the way they taste too. I was honestly thinking of not doing onions this year, but then I saw the sprouts and now I have to. for science.

  7. #7
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    As a general rule, the thicker the skin and the stronger the smell the longer an onion will last.

  8. #8
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    I have better luck growing larger onions for seed or seedlings....Planted shallow per Rick.

    I do hear you on size and growing season regarding size.....but sets rot off and grow from the inside out...they don't really get bigger, like having a head start....which is what I thought?

    Sets planted deep make good green onions....
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  9. #9

    Default

    My question is related but from a more inexperienced point of view.
    I planted onions last year (from purchased bulbs). Did not pick them all last year and now I have a nice patch of onions coming up from last years stock. My question is...If I plant and onion from a bulb, the part you eat, and you do not pull them at the end of the year, what part do I eat this year? The onions are growing from the bulbs produced last year. The bulbs are partly protruding from the ground. Do the old bulbs, which are now sprouting, turn back into fresh bulbs or do new bulbs grow underneath the old bulbs. No, I am not drunk, I just did not pay any attention when mom and dad were growing their garden.

  10. #10
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    The old bulbs just kinda get slimy and rot off the new stem.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  11. #11

    Default

    Then new bulbs must form in the same area or below it. I'll just have to wait and see.

  12. #12
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sofasurfer View Post
    Then new bulbs must form in the same area or below it. I'll just have to wait and see.
    Here is a pic showing red onions sprouting for a gone to seed onion.....

    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

    This is also what happens to onion sets
    Last edited by hunter63; 05-09-2015 at 08:15 PM.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  13. #13

    Default

    The old part of a set doesn't really rot off. It's a food storage unit for the new growing onion stalk. There's more food there for the onion to get going than there is in a seed. From seed it has to build up from nothing. When you harvest set grown onions, be sure to remove any set material that may be left on the stalk or it will rot in storage.
    If we are to have another contest in…our national existence I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's, but between patriotism & intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition & ignorance on the other…
    ~ President Ulysses S. Grant

  14. #14

    Default

    Ok, don't want to start a whole thing here but, What is an onion set? I planted bulbs. I know you can start them from bulbs. But what is a set?

  15. #15
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    The bulb is the set. You can plant either seeds, sets (bulb) or seedlings. Sets tend to bolt quickly so you probably will not get large onions from them. Bulbs or sets are second year plants. The growers plant the seed the first year and then harvest the bulb. When you plant the bulb it wants to complete its two year life cycle by bolting or flowering. You grow sets for green onions leaves or tops. If left to grow they will flower and produce seed.

    As to what part is edible. The bulb and leaves of the onion are what is commonly eaten.

    Incidently, carrots are biennials as well. They flower and produce seed the second year.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •