From planting to harvest depends on the type and whether they were started from sets (50 to 60 days), seeds (110-125 days), or transplants (70 to 90 days). Harvest when one-forth to one-half of the tops of the onions have fallen down. It is important to let the plants go dormant before harvesting because they won’t keep well. When most of the onion tops have fallen over and started turning brownish, and the bulbs start to show skins, tipping bulbs over to break the roots will speed up the drying. Maturing or browning occurs mid to late summer. You can harvest onions at any stage. The plants you pull from thinning rows can be eaten as green onions. However, onion bulbs are ready when about 1/4 to 1/2 the tops have dropped over and the bulb skins feel thick. Be sure to pick the onions before the rain starts in the fall. Ripe onions rot rapidly in wet or cold soil.
Contents
What is the fastest way to grow onions?
Planting onions from bulb sets is likely the quickest method for a gardener to establish vigorous and strong onions. Green onions can be harvested when they are around five inches high, the higher they are the stronger the flavor. If you planted from sets or transplants they will be ready to eat in about a month. Sets are really small onions. Onion sets are more expensive and there are not a wide variety of types available at a garden center. Numberous types are used for onion bulb sets. Nevertheless, because sets are rarely under varietal names, simply by colors red, yellow, or white. Sometimes, Stuttgarter and Ebenezer are sold as a type of variety. Round onions sets produce a mature flat onion, oblong or football shaped sets mature into round onions. Plant some sets and you will begin to have fresh green onions within 30 days.
Do I have to plant onions every year?
Onions are alliums, kin to the lily family. Multipler and Egyptian Walking onions are a perennial variety that does send up a flower stalk with bulbils on top. When the top becomes to heavy to stand, it falls over. The bulbils take root, forming new plants. Multipler and Egyptian Walking onions are year round crops including winter. So, no you can plant Multipler or Egyptian Walking onions once and have onions all the time.
Where should I buy my sets?
Some garden centers offer yellow or white Sweet Spanish (long day type), white or yellow Bermuda (short day type), and a red variety Southport Red Globe (long day type). You can order some unusual varieties on line or out of catalogs. Prices online and out of catalogs are higher. But, you get a larger variety list to choose from, Texas Grano onion (short day type), Vidalia Sweet onion (short day type), Red Hamburger onion (short day type), Walla Walla Street onion (long day type), 1015 Supersweet, Texas, onion (short day type), Multipler and Egyptian Walking onions, just to name a few types.
What are the best onions varieties for storing?
Zittauer is a globed shaped, medium sized, yellow onion, 95 days to harvest.
Broje d’ Amposta is a globed shaped onion, brownish red skins, 110 days to harvest.
Red Brunswick is a thick and flat onion, dark red, 110 days to harvest.
Lancastrian is a football shaped onion, that is crisp, sweet, 95 days to maturity.
Copra is an early onion, with a medium size bulb, dark yellow skins, 104 days to maturity.
Ailsa Craig Exhibition is a hugh, round, white, mild onion with yellow skins, 110 days to maturity.
First edition is a medium size onion, yellow skins, 105 days to maturity.
Sweet Sandwich is a globe shape onion, very sweet, 105 days to maturity.
Red Baron is a large, red onion, 108 days to harvest.
What is the best way to eat an onion?
All the ways are best to eat an onion. Onions maybe eaten raw, boiled, broiled, baked, creamed, steamed, fried, and chopped. They are used in all kinds of dishes such as stew, soups and sauces. They are combined with other vegetables and meats to add flavor. Everything taste better with a little onion added.
