How to: Onion Production

Onions can be grown in any well-drained, well-fertilized soil.

Onions are popular in many types of culinary traditions. You can find onions in almost every grocery store in the United States. The price and quality of onions available at your store will vary depending upon the time of year, your location and the commercially available supply. One way to ensure fresh, healthy onions in your kitchen is to grow them in your garden. Onions are small plants that require very little room to grow. You can produce onions in any area of your garden that has well-fertilized soil with plenty of drainage.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Potting soil
• Pencil
• Onion seeds
• Work gloves
• Safety glasses

Instructions

1. Press the point of your shovel into the ground repeatedly. Follow the pattern of your garden design. Loosen and remove the sod inside of your outline. Remove all of the roots and 1 inch of dirt along with the sod. Discard everything you removed into your compost heap.

2. Add 6 inches of fresh potting soil into your planting bed. Spread the soil by hand and leave it loose so that the onions will be able to sprout and grow easily. Smooth the top of the soil by rubbing your hand across it.

3. Press the tip of your pencil halfway into the soil to make a place to drop a seed. Make another hole every 2 inches to make a row along the length of your planting bed.

4. Move 2 feet over from your row of holes and create a second row. Continue making rows of holes along the entire width of your planting bed. Leave 2 feet of space between each row.

5. Drop a seed into each hole in your planting bed. Rake your hand across each hole after a seed has been placed inside. Cover each seed with no more than a 1/2 inch of loose soil.

6. Keep the soil in your planting bed damp and weed free. Be careful not to pull immature onions when weeding your bed.

7. Harvest your onions before they flower. Wipe the soil off the onions and store them in a dark cool place until you are ready to use them.

Tips & Warnings

• Work gloves and safety glasses are required when working with hand tools.

• Always call your local utility-locating service before digging.

References

• Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina State University; Bulb Onion Production In Eastern North Carolina; D. C. Sanders Extension Horticultural Specialist; 1997