Did you know that onions were once worshipped as symbols of eternal life? Perhaps due to its round shape and concentric layers of rings.
This edible bulb is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium that contains a pungent taste and smell.
Onions vary in size, shape, colour and flavor. The most common colours of onions are red, yellow, and white. The taste of these vegetables can range from sweet and juicy to sharp, spicy, and pungent. This often depends on the season in which you choose to grow and consume onions.
Tips and facts about Onions
- Onions grown from seed may have better storage potential than the same grown from onion sets
- Bulbing onions should be grown in the garden bed
- Overwintering onions may not produce a bulb if planted in the spring
- Separate the overwintered and spring crops because disease starts in older plants and moves to younger
- One serving of onions contains 45 calories
- One can get rid of onion breath by eating parsley
- The sulfuric compounds in onions cause us to cry – avoid this by chilling the onion or slicing it under running water
- Onions contain antifungal properties that can reduce the risk of infection and relieve itching from insect bites
How to Grow Onions:
Timing: Start storage onions indoors in late winter and early spring, then transplant 2-4 weeks after the last frost date. Overwintering onions need to be started in early summer and transplanted by the middle of August. This will be ready to harvest the following June.
Optimal soil temperature for germination is 16-25°C (50-75°F). Depending on soil temperature, seeds will emerge in 6-12 days.
Sowing: Apply lime three weeks prior to sowing or transplanting if the pH is 6.0 or lower.
Sow 3 seeds 5mm-1cm (1/4 – ½”) deep in each cell of a 72-cell tray.
Transplant as a clump, spacing each 12-15cm (5-6”) apart in rows 45-75cm (18-30”) apart. Do not transplant too deeply as most of the bulb should form on the surface of the soil. Bulb size is dependent on the size of the tops – the bigger the tops, the bigger the bulb.
Growing: Fertile and well-drained soil in full sun is essential for growing onions. Add well-rotted compost and dig ½-1 cup of fertilizer into the soil beneath each 3m (10′) of row.
Plant in open, sunny locations and keep the soil evenly moist throughout growth and remove weeds as soon as they are spotted throughout the season. Keep high moisture level in the top 20-30cm (8-12”) of soil. Ideal pH level of 5.5-6.5.
Tip: Practice strict sanitation and crop rotation procedures.
Harvesting: Stop watering onions in the beginning of August for bulbs to mature in dry soil.
Curing is essential for long storage - spread bulbs out in a dry place for about a week, covering them at night to protect them from dew. When the outer layer of the onion changes from moist to dry and crisp, it is cured.
Protection: Spraying onions with copper hydroxide every 7-14 days at the first sign of a problem may help prevent disease from spreading.
Pests and Disease: Botrytis blast and downy mildew are common leaf diseases. The disease starts in older plants and moves to younger so separate the overwintered and spring crops.
The pungent odour of onions repels many pests and protects nearby garden vegetables.
Companion Planting: Onions work well alongside beets, Brassicas, carrots, dill, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Storage: Keep onions in mesh sacks, hung where air is dry and above freezing. Check them regularly and remove any sprouting or rotting onions.
Onions belong to the Allium family of plants, which include chives, garlic, and leeks. These vegetables all share characteristic pungent flavors and some medicinal properties.
Even though chopping onions may cause water eyes, onions provide potential health benefits such as reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease while improving mood, and maintaining skin and hair. Onions contain antioxidants and compounds that fight inflammation and reduce cholesterol levels.