How To Grow Onions At Home

Onions need soil that is rich in nutrients and fertilizer in order to grow. It is advisable to lay a good layer of compost on the ground before planting them, whether in a pot or in a vegetable garden, and to stop watering them 20 days before harvesting them.

Onions are foods that absolutely cannot be missing in any kitchen. That is why in this article we are going to teach you how to grow onions at home.

Information on growing onions

Onion is one of the oldest vegetables cultivated by humans. It is very easy to grow onions and their virtues will benefit your whole body.

You can plant it in your vegetable garden or in a planter. The essential conditions for its growth are:

• It should be planted directly in the ground. 
• The seasons for planting it are spring, summer and winter, especially not fall.
• The growth time after planting is four months.
• If you want to plant them in a planter, they must be at least three liters or a minimum depth of 20 centimeters.
• If you want to plant them in your garden, the distance between each plant should be 15 centimeters, and between each planting line 40 cm. 
• It is important to note that the onion needs nutrient-rich soil, and extra fertilizer to grow. He likes peaty soil, with silt and a little bit of sand. Soils that are too sandy and too clayey are not suitable for it.
• The elements it needs to grow are potassium and phosphorus, but especially not nitrogen.  It is therefore recommended to put a good layer of compost before planting. As well in your planter or in your vegetable garden.
• Onions love sunlight. Especially during the few weeks that the bulb formation lasts.

Onions don’t need a lot of watering

• During its entire growing cycle, the onion does not need to be watered much. Except during the vegetative stage, that is to say during the formation of the bulb. It is therefore advisable to water it about 20 days before harvesting it.
• Harvesting is done when the tips of the leaves of the plant are yellow in color.  To remove the bulbs, use a fork so as not to damage its skin. Leave them half-buried for a few days. Then take them out and let them dry in the sun for two weeks.
• It is essential to remove any weeds that may affect the onion plants. Also, avoid them suffering from sudden temperature changes.
• The ideal temperature for the growth of the bulbs is between 15 and 25 ° C. The onion associates very well with other cultures. They can be planted next to strawberries, carrots, cucumbers or tomatoes. However, it is not advisable to combine it with legumes.  

The three ideal times to grow onions: 

At the end of summer:

Make shallow furrows, and separate your seedlings well. Fill your furrows with 1.5 cm of compost, and tamp the earth a little. In your planter, put the seeds in a random way.

In winter:

In regions where winters are harsh and snowy, it is recommended to make seedlings. Then let them hibernate inside your home. So you will have small onions ready to be transplanted in the spring. This is done with dry soil and with a furrow the size of the plants you will have.

In spring:

You can only plant this time of year if the next summer is going to be wet and cold, or if you have no place to store your onions. Spring is the best time to plant bulbs, but not seeds.

Make 15 cm holes in a line. Insert a bulb in each of the holes, then cover with soil and tamp down well.

How to grow onions in planters

If you do not have enough space or land available to create your vegetable garden, you can try planting onions in planters that you will have on your balcony, on your terrace or on your patio.

It’s much easier than you think. You won’t even need to take gardening lessons. Nor to convert yourself into a farmer from night to morning. You just have to prepare the land well. And arrange the place where you are going to place them and choose the planters you are going to use.

The first thing to do is to choose a good organic soil to fill your planters.  You can buy it at a nursery. But choose the blackest possible, because it is the most fertile.

Do not use chemical fertilizers

Do not add artificial fertilizers or fertilizers to it under any circumstances. Because if the plant will certainly grow faster, it will have harmful effects on your health. Also, if you want to grow onions at home, then you want to eat healthier things.

If your soil is very dry, sticky, or light in color, you can combine it with fertile, deep black soil. Allow your soil to soak up nutrients for at least two weeks before planting.

Your planters should be at least 8 inches deep and 12 inches wide.  If you are planting the seeds directly, leave 6 inches of space between each of your holes. Because otherwise the plants will no longer have room to grow.

If you choose to grow onions from seedlings, it is best to prepare them in advance and plant them in the planter when they have reached a height of 10cm.

During the first two months, you should water them twice a day and leave them in a sunny place. Then you can harvest them after four months.

Watch out for signs the plant may be sending you about what it is missing and what it has in excess. You will quickly become an expert!