Onions

If you use onions in your kitchen, then absolutely grow some in your garden.  Onions require very little attention once the root system starts to develop.  They are also very space efficient and can be interplanted amongst other plants to utilize previously unused space.  Onions grow well with almost any plant, but most companion planting literature advises against growing them with peas or beans.  We've not grown onions with peas or beans to verify this, so take that for what it's worth.  The only other limitation to interplanting is that the onion needs to get a lot of sun, meaning that it is best interplanted with short-statured plants such as strawberries, celeriac, or many herbs.

Onions can be started from seed, but the seeds need to be started very early in the year because they grow very slowly early on.  Most people buy onion sets or starts.  Sets are small, dry bulbs that usually come in a bag.  Starts are small onion plants growing in pots, 6 packs, or bundled as bareroot stock.

Bulbing Onions:

Bulb onions are best grown from starts.  We are growing Walla Walla sweet onions, planted in the blocks surrounding our beds.  In early April, we bought them as starts in 6 packs.  There were 4 to 5 plants per container (25-30 per 6 pack), but with careful separation using a serrated knife, they all survived transplantation and have thrived.  Now, a little over three months later it is time to harvest.

Green Onions:

Green onions are usually started from onion sets, but we were given evergreen bunching onions seeds at a seed swap so we decided to give them a shot.  In February, we started them inside under grow lights.  They grew slowly, being about 6 inches long and 1/8" thick when we transplanted them out into the garden in early April.  They've done quite well.  It has gotten into the hottest part of the summer and they haven't died back yet.  Any time that we want green onion for stir fry or other dishes, there is plenty available.  We will probably grow these again.  

Tips and Tricks:

• For best results, onions should be bought from a knowledgeable local nursery instead of a big box store.  This is important because onions need both a cool period in which to grow foliage and a warm period to grow the bulb.  There are two types, one for northern climates and one for southern climates.  If the wrong type is purchased, the plant will not form good bulbs.  Briefly explained, for the northern half of the US buy "long day" onions and in the southern half buy "short day" onions.  A knowledgeable nursery will only stock sets or starts appropriate to your area.
• Any young onion can be used as a green onion, but those intended for bulb formation will not be fit for this use by early summer.
• Do not leave drying onions where dogs can get to them.  Onions are members of the lily family and are poisonous to dogs.
• Onions come on a wide variety of colors and flavors.  See what's available at your local nursery in early spring.

Putting Up the Harvest:

Pull any bulb onions with tops that have completely turned brown as seen above.

With scissors, trim the top off leaving 3-4 inches.  Leave the roots intact.

Gently wash the dirt off, leaving as much of the clean, papery outer covering as possible.

We like to immediately put them on our running air conditioner unit for 30 minutes before we set them aside.  This steady stream of warm air dries the outside quickly.  Do not leave them on it all day.  Then put them in a dry, airy place out direct sunlight for the rest of the day.  They are ready for storage when the roots are thin and wirelike.  In the evening, bring them inside to avoid dew.  If they need more drying, set them outside again the next day.  Store in a dark, dry, and cool location.  Hanging in mesh onions bags is ideal, but hanging cloth bags or wire baskets will work as well.  They can last 6 months to a year like this.