How to Grow Onions From Seed

 

According to most home garden lovers, growing onion plants from seed is actually one of the most rewarding ways to really produce fresh, flavorful onions at home. While a lot of gardeners use the onion sets or the onions seedlings, starting the onions from seed actually gives you access to more onions varieties, healthier plants, and better storage onions. Starting onion plants from seeds may take a little more patience but the results are worth the effort.

The onion plants are cool-season crops that really thrive in sunny locations with a rich and well-drained soil. With proper care for the onion plants, you can grow large onion plant bulbs for cooking or smaller green onions for fresh use. This article really explains everything you need to know about growing this wonderful vegetable from seeds successfully.

Choosing the Right Onion Plant Variety To Grow

Before you get started, it is really very vital to select the correct onion variety for your region. The onion plants are classified into 3 main types:

The Short-Day Onions Varieties

The Short-Day Onions Varieties form bulbs when daylight reaches about ten to twelve hours. The Short-Day Onions are best suited for warm climates and southern regions.

The Long-Day Onions varieties

The Long-Day Onions varieties require fourteen to sixteen hours of daylight to form bulbs. The Long-Day Onions grow best in cooler northern climates.

The Intermediate-Day Onions varieties

The Intermediate-Day Onions varieties is also called day-neutral onions, the Intermediate-Day Onions grow well in many regions and are ideal for moderate climates.

Make sure you choose the variety that is suitable for your local climate to ensure proper bulb development.

Also read: How to Grow Cucumbers From Seeds

When to Start the Onion Plant Seeds

Onion plants actually need a long growing season, so the onion plant seeds are normally started indoors before the outdoor planting season begins.

·  You can start the onion seeds indoors about eight to ten weeks before the last expected frost date.

·  In warm climates condition the onion seeds can also be directly sown outdoors during cooler months.

·  The soil temperatures that are between 18–24°C are ideal for onion seed germination.

Furthermore, starting the onion plant seeds early actually gives the onions enough time to develop large bulbs before warm weather arrives.

Materials Needed To Get Started

The following are what you need to grow onion from seeds;

·  You need seed trays or small containers

·  You need seed-starting mix

·  You need watering can or spray bottle

·  You need grow lights or a sunny window

·  You need compost or organic fertilizer

·  You need garden bed or large containers

·  You need onion seeds

Using a good quality onion seeds and a good healthy soil greatly improves seed germination and growth.

Starting the Onion Plant Seeds Indoors

1. Start By Preparing the Containers

Just fill your seed trays or pots with moist seed-starting mix. ensure the pots have a good drainage holes in other to prevent waterlogging.

2. Sow the Onion Plant Seed

You can easily plant the onion seeds about 0.5 cm deep. You need to space them lightly across the tray and then cover them with a thin layer of soil.

3. Water the Plant Gently

You can carefully mist the soil with water in other to keep it moist but not soggy. The onion plant seeds actually require steady moisture for successful seeds germination.

4. Provide Warmth and Light For The Onions Plant

You can easily place the trays in a warm area. The onion seeds usually germinate within seven to fourteen days. Once the onion plant seedlings emerge, you can carefully move the onion plant seedlings under grow lights or place them near a bright sunny window.

The onion plant seedlings actually need at least twelve to fourteen hours of light daily.

Caring for the Onion Plant Seedlings

Watering Requirement

Make sure you keep the soil consistently moist. Make sure you avoid allowing the onion seedlings to dry out completely.

Feeding Requirement

After the onion plant seedlings are a few weeks old, you can easily feed onion plant seedlings with a diluted liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks. Nitrogen-rich fertilizer really encourages healthy leaf growth of the onion plants.

Trimming The Onion Plant

When the onion plant seedlings become tall and thin, you can carefully trim the tops to about seven to ten centimeter. This prevents the onion plant seedlings from falling over and helps develop stronger plants.

Preparing the Garden Bed For the Onion Plant

Onion plants actually grow best in a loose, fertile soil with ample of organic matter.

Soil Requirements For Onion Plants

·  Onion plants require a well-drained soil

·  Onion plants require soil that is rich in compost

·  Onion plants require soil that is slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0–7.0)

Before planting the onions make sure you loosen the soil deeply and then mix in compost or aged manure.

Sunlight Requirement

You need to choose a location that actually receives full sunlight for at least six to eight hours daily. The onion plants need a lot of sunlight to form large bulbs.

Transplanting the Onion Plant Seedlings

Once the onion plant seedlings are about pencil-thick and the outdoor temperatures are actually suitable, you can easily transplant them into the garden.

Hardening Off

About one week before transplanting the onion plant seedlings, you need to gradually expose the onion plant seedlings to outdoor conditions for a few hours daily. This process actually helps to prevent transplant shock on the onion plant seedlings.

Onions Planting Spacing

·  Make sure you space the onions plants about ten to fifteen centimeters apart.

·  Leave thirty to forty-five centimeter between rows.

Make sure you plant the onion seedlings shallowly so that the base remains just above the soil surface.

You need to water the onion plant thoroughly after transplanting.

Direct Sowing the Onion Plant Seeds Outdoors

In some climates the onion plant seeds can actually be planted directly in the garden.

The Steps for Direct Sowing

1.    You need to prepare a loose, fertile soil.

2.    Sow the onion plant seeds thinly in shallow rows.

3.    Then cover the onion seeds lightly with soil.

4.    You need to keep the area consistently moist.

You can thin the onion plant seedlings once they reach a few centimeters tall in other to avoid overcrowding.

Direct sowing of the onion seeds really works best in regions with long growing seasons.

Watering the Onion Plant

The onion plants really require regular watering, most especially during the bulb formation.

·  You can provide about two and half centimeter of water weekly.

·  Water the onion plants deeply rather than lightly.

·  You can easily reduce watering once the tops begin to fall over near harvest time.

Uneven watering of the onion plants may actually cause small bulbs or splitting.

Fertilizing the Onion Plants

The onion plants are heavy feeders and they actually benefit from regular nutrients.

Best Fertilizer For Onion Plants

You can use a good fertilizer that is high in nitrogen during early growth. Fertilizer that is high in nitrogen supports healthy green leaves, which directly influence the bulb size.

You can apply fertilizer every two to three weeks until the onion plant bulbs begin swelling. After that you can reduce feeding in other to encourage the bulb maturity.

Mulching The Onion plants

Adding mulch around the onion plants can actually helps:

·  To retain soil moisture around the plant

·  To suppress weeds around the plant

·  To keep the soil cool

You can use straw, dry grass, or shredded leaves as mulch. Make sure you keep mulch away from the onion plant neck to prevent rot.

Also read: How to Plant Scent Leaf Seed

Common Onion Plant Problems

Pests On Onion Plants

Some of the common onion pests are:

·  Aphids

·  Maggots

·  Onion thrips

Make sure you inspect the onion plants regularly and then remove the affected leaves if necessary.

Diseases on Onion Plants

The onion plants may suffer from fungal diseases such as downy mildew or rot, most especially in wet conditions.

To reduce disease risk on onion plants:

·  You need to avoid overcrowding

·  Make sure you water the plants at the base of plants

·  You can also practice crop rotation

·  Ensure good air circulation around the onion plants

Actually a healthy soil and a proper spacing can help to prevent most of the problems.

When to Harvest The Onions

The onions are actually ready for harvest when the green tops of the onion plant begin to turn yellow and start falling over naturally.

Onions Harvesting Steps

1.    You have to stop watering the onions plants a few days before harvest.

2.    Then carefully loosen the soil around the onion plant bulbs.

3.    Then carefully pull the onions from the ground.

Try as much as possible to avoid damaging the bulbs during harvesting.

Curing the Onions

Actually curing the onions helps the onions store longer.

How to Cure Onions

You need to place harvested the onions in a dry, warm, and well-ventilated area for about two to three weeks.

The outer skin of the onions will dry and then become papery while the onions necks tighten.

Make sure you don’t expose curing onions to rain or direct moisture.

Storing Onions

After curing the onions:

·  You need to trim the roots and tops

·  You need to store the onions in mesh bags or baskets

·  Make sure you keep them in a cool, dry place

A properly cured onion can actually last for some months in storage without been damage.