What to feed Onions

[ErieDeare]

I have always had a hard time growing onions and would like to know what to feed my onions so they get big?

Yes I am going organic and don't really know what onions like.

As far as onions plants go I have never had any luck with them, they always died before they even got started.

So all I ever put in was onion sets. Like always I put out onion plants again this year and so far so good they are growing.along with my onion sets.

[tjg911]

i'm organic. i use neptune's harvest fish and seaweed emulsion sprayed on 1 time a month from april to july. 3 weeks after planting out my plants i top dress them with dehydrated chicken manure (1st year doing this) and no more after that. in my experience onions don't need a lot of fertilizing tho you want the most green growth when they start to bulb. they do want good soil so i add compost and bone meal for the phosphorus for root growth when planting out. they need good drainage, 1" of water per week and full sun. space to grow is important, i used to plant 4" on center and that is way too close so i now use 6" on center and they size up much better. mulch with shredded leaves after planting to suppress weeds as they don't compete well with weeds. other than that they are bullet proof for me.

tom

[OkieDan]

This is my first year to grow onions. I have a lot of green growth, a bout 20 inches tall. I have been using ground leaf mulch with wood chips, which decomposes a little every year. I always add more each year. To beef up the nitrogen a little, I used some soy bean meal from e feed store. The meal is about 7 percent nitrogen and is a slow release item. It seems to be working. I have also used Alfalfa pellets for nitrogen, I think I like it better because the peppers really respond to it well.
I do not turn the mulch under, I leave it on top. All I do it stir it up with a rake at the beginning of the season to deter the diner hence of grass and weeds. Good luck.

[JJJessee]

I grow onions in raised beds, mostly organic. I bought starts from Dixondale which are not organic. I've had spot success from seed.

I think Tjg's plan pretty well cover's it. I put about 15-18" between rows and put a 4" trench of extra amendments between rows. Can't remember exactly what the amendments were. but probably Plant or Tomato Tone plus some alfalfa and a little Seabird Guano.

It has been dry, but I've been able to barely keep up with drip-irrigation from rainwater.

Plenty of sun, loose, weed-free soil, that stays damp, but not wet, and probably the exact NPK values are not as critical.

Not so different than most garden plants, but can be less forgiving.

[pol_bishop25]

I have to say that onions are not that hard to grow, you just have to know the right way. One of my articles here is covering this topic so I hope it will help you. Don't forget to picture your first successful onion plants ;p

[ErieDeare]

Originally Posted by pol_bishop25

I have to say that onions are not that hard to grow, you just have to know the right way. One of my articles here is covering this topic so I hope it will help you. Don't forget to picture your first successful onion plants ;p

I tried to print your information and it was so light tha you could not even read it, NO it was not my printer.

[pol_bishop25]

Originally Posted by ErieDeare

I tried to print your information and it was so light tha you could not even read it, NO it was not my printer.

Hm, never thought that someone might want to print it. Unfortunately, I can't find an option to correct the font and make it darker. I suggest you just copy paste the text on MS Word, Open Office or whatever program you use and try to correct the font from there, then print. Here is a simple trick, if you want raw text with no decorations and stuff: copy it from the source, then paste to your simplest text editor (Notepad for example), then copy it from there and paste again to your desired program (MS Word for example).

[ErieDeare]

Originally Posted by pol_bishop25

Hm, never thought that someone might want to print it. Unfortunately, I can't find an option to correct the font and make it darker. I suggest you just copy paste the text on MS Word, Open Office or whatever program you use and try to correct the font from there, then print. Here is a simple trick, if you want raw text with no decorations and stuff: copy it from the source, then paste to your simplest text editor (Notepad for example), then copy it from there and paste again to your desired program (MS Word for example).

I feel that this should be your job so other people can learn wat you are willing to teach us.

You have done a good job on this and a poor job in delivering it. It be darker when you should have put the information on .

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ErieDeare

I feel that this should be your job so other people can learn wat you are willing to teach us.

You have done a good job on this and a poor job in delivering it. It be darker when you should have put the information on .

I sent you a PM with the text on it made bolder bigger and darker.
Since it belongs to someone else I wont put it here without permission from them.
All they have to say is OK and I will hit the paste button here.

Worth

[Brandon558]

Im in the same boat... Never had alot of luck with onions.

This year i have them in a raised bed... Have mulched them with straw, keep them moist for the most part, i do add garden tone once every 2 weeks, some are bulbing fairly well while others are not at all. Once again i may have planted them too close.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Brandon558

Im in the same boat... Never had alot of luck with onions.

This year i have them in a raised bed... Have mulched them with straw, keep them moist for the most part, i do add garden tone once every 2 weeks, some are bulbing fairly well while others are not at all. Once again i may have planted them too close.

How far apart are they?
If they are in hard ground the wont bulb as well and need to be planted to where the bulbs form on the top of the soil.
It may be that you are growing long daylight cultivars instead of short daylight cultivars.

Onions in the south do better started from seed in the fall and grown out in the spring.

They need lots of nitrogen to develop leaves as each leaf is a new onion layer for the bulb.
Onions wont tell you when they need water as they dont wilt.

Soil should be on the alkali side above 7 and use no sulfur this way they will be sweet not hot.

Mine this year were so sweet you could eat them like an apple.


Worth

[pol_bishop25]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I sent you a PM with the text on it made bolder bigger and darker.
Since it belongs to someone else I wont put it here without permission from them.
All they have to say is OK and I will hit the paste button here.

Worth

It's okay with me. This article is free for sharing, so be my guest. I am actually very happy that someone liked my work. Cheers!

[ErieDeare]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I sent you a PM with the text on it made bolder bigger and darker.
Since it belongs to someone else I wont put it here without permission from them.
All they have to say is OK and I will hit the paste button here.

Worth

I would personally like to THANK-You for the email you sent me.
You have show great interest in gardening and how to grow onions, and you have to take great pride in your garden.

We need more people like you to come forward and help others.
We both learned a lesson here and will contuse into our enjoyment of helping gardener and raising a garden.

Keep up the good work and have no one stop you in your enjoyment.

[amideutch]

Yes, Myco's work on onions.

Ami

http://www.fungi.com/shop/fungi-for-...-supplies.html

[Worth1]

Here it is from (pol bishop25) from London

How to Grow Onions Wherever You Like
Outdoor or indoor, in containers or in your garden beds - you name it.
You know onions, right? You didn't like them much as a kid, but now you love them. Well and you should be, because onions are very good for your general health and are great addition to almost every food. But isn't it annoying when you forgot to buy onions and you have to go all the way to the store again? It surely is. So, did you ever considered growing onions on your own? Yes, taking care of a plant is not that hard and it might even turn to be a hobby of yours. You can grow onions outside in your garden or in containers around the house. It's up to you and your social situation. Anyway, here we will talk on both outdoor and indoor gardening, so let's get started with the most recommended method to grow onions or...


Planting tips
Your first and more important job of all is to select a good location for your onions. This plant needs full sun, don't place it near other larger plants. Make sure that the soil is loose and rich in nitrogen, as well as perfectly drained. These factors will affect your bulb development the most, so don't overlook them. Prior to planing prepare the soil by tilling it in aged manure. The right time to plant will be in the spring - usually the late March or April.

If you are not planting onions from seed, but transplant, consider some useful tips. Always leave some space between each plant, usually 5 inches. For rows spacing leave at least 15 inches. Make sure to plant the smaller sets 1 inch deep. Never go more than one inch deepness or you risk to restrict the growth of the bulb and limit significantly your production.
Care for your crops
Remember, you need to constantly feed your onions, if you are aiming for a big production and large bulbs. Once you plant them you can use a nitrogen fertilizer every few weeks as an addition to the growing process until the bulbing process begins. Apart from other plants onions don't need much watering. One inch of water per week (plus water from rains) is more than enough for them. However, if you want to produce sweeter onions, then you can increase the water supply. During the growing period observe your plant carefully. Any flower stalks on your onions has to be cut off in time. This is indication that your onions have "bolted" and are done.

Pests are another problem that you need to look carefully. The onion maggots are quite a problem for gardening beginners. You have to protect your crops with a fine mesh netting. Simply cover them and seal the netting around the edges with mounding soil. These insect love rainy periods and there is very high chance for them to appear when the climate is wet. They are especially attracted to decaying organic matter (mulch). However, in a dry season you won't worry much about these little pests.

Thrips are another type of insects, which feed on onions. They are very tiny and hard to spot, so you will need a dark piece of paper in order to detect them. Knock the top of your plant against the paper and try to spot their tan-coloured bodies. You can easily treat them with any insecticidal product. Just follow the instructions on the package, it should be fairly easy.
Outdoor cultivation




Harvest and Storage
In this final step you will learn a few tricks and tips on how to handle your production properly. Firstly, you have to recognize when your onions are ready for harvest. Once you see the tops become yellow and start to fall over, it is time to loosen the soil and encourage drying. Be very careful, because every bruise even the smallest one can cause rotting. The harvesting process should be performed in the late summer once the tops become brown. When the time is right, pull the onions and allow them to dry for a few weeks. Set them off the ground on an open screen, then you can store them in your root cellar or any other storage place. The temperature inside should be 5 to 10 degrees C. Don't store the matured onion bulbs with apples or potatoes.
Container cultivation (also indoor)

First of all, know that the best way to grow onions is the one above, in your garden. Try to plant onions in containers only, if you don't have a garden. The whole process of planting, maintenance and harvest is very similar the outdoor one, so here I am going to explain a few differences and tips regarding container cultivation.

What's the container?
Firstly, lets start with the most important choice - a good and reliable container. Your onions will need at least 10 inches of soil depth to grow successfully. The diameter can be determined to your needs. If you plan to grow more than one plant, get large enough container and keep into consideration that onions need about 3 inches between each other. For example, a normal 5 gallon bucket will be great for 3 to 4 plants.

Where's the right place?
Keep in mind that indoor onions are hard to grow - they will need cooler temperatures while the seeds germinate and warmer climate for the bulbs to develop. From 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day are enough, but don't forget to check the instructions on your seed packet. Different species may have other requirements.

Growing conditions of container onions
We already know that the soil for these plant has to be well-drained, however you have to look for compost with neutral pH. The best practice here is to use lots of mature compost. You have to increase the water supply during the growing season and so make sure to keep the soil slightly moist. Even when your onions look healthy they may need water, so don't risk it.