# Growing onions



## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

I'm in zone 9a on the coast. I can't seem to grow an onion bigger than a golf ball.
I've been planting bulbs in January the last 2 yrs but was late this year and planted 1st week of Feb. My dad says this is late.
I definetly can't grow red ones or 1015's. The only thing that has any size is a white one. Not sure of the brand. Bought them at Lowe's.

I think i went overboard on Nitrogen my first year. I figured more was better, i burned them up.
The stalks looks good all year but produce a small bulb. I feel i water them enough.

I'm laying off the ferilizer this year and see what happens. I put down plenty of qual manure in the winter. Hopefully that will suffice.

The hours of sun I get may be my problem. Most of my garden is shaded at 5pm. One wouldn't think onions need that much sun due to the small amount of foilage but I have been reading and it seems they need a bunch of sun.
I have no complaints on other root plants i grow, just onions.

Appreicate any help


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Here's a couple of tips that might help:

1) start your sets in the fall, Oct. or as soon as they become available. The big onions, i.e. the ones that give you slices to cover the largest hamburgers, require more time in the ground

2) after fall planting, when they start forming bulbs in spring, pull the dirt away from around the bulb without disturbing the roots

Try those and I'll bet you get the bulbs as large as any in the stores or elsewhere.


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

Plant November


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

3X on planting in the first week of Nov., which is mornally when they hit the feed stores.

And as Meadowlark said, pull the soil away from plants around April to allow for greater bulb expansion.










This is not a picture of our onions, I posted this only as an example. Ours are normally bigger...


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## Mikeyhunts (Jun 4, 2007)

Hey guys, I have a follow up question.
When I planted my onions in early November, I had fertilized the trenches as described, and then it said to add nitrogen a month later. 
My question is should I continue to fertilize once a month, or what they have on them will be enough. They are doing very good so far.
I have not added anything since December.
Please advise.


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## SwampRat (Jul 30, 2004)

I'm an onion flunky too.....This yr is 6" of brand new leaf compost, aged cow manure, Osmocote, miracle grow every couple of weeks, and two lullabies sung softly in key of G (for grow!). Planted sets in early/mid November. If this doesn't work, then next year that plot is going full bok choi and lettuce.

I wish I could get a little more sun on them, but the neighbor wouldn't be too happy if I fixed that issue (it's his tree).


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

Nice, congrats!


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Mikeyhunts said:


> Hey guys, I have a follow up question.
> When I planted my onions in early November, I had fertilized the trenches as described, and then it said to add nitrogen a month later.
> My question is should I continue to fertilize once a month, or what they have on them will be enough. They are doing very good so far.
> I have not added anything since December.
> Please advise.


I like to fertilize mine every three weeks or so...but I also use sparing amounts each time. Continuous feeding is what I'm after.


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

Meadowlark said:


> Here's a couple of tips that might help:
> 
> 1) start your sets in the fall, Oct. or as soon as they become available. The big onions, i.e. the ones that give you slices to cover the largest hamburgers, require more time in the ground
> 
> ...


My old timer neighbor used to just plant the roots in the ground. They laid flat on the ground for a few days. Maybe he was onto something. He always said i was planting too deep. I'll try pulling the dirt back in the spring thanks


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

w_r_ranch said:


> 3X on planting in the first week of Nov., which is mornally when they hit the feed stores.
> 
> And as Meadowlark said, pull the soil away from plants around April to allow for greater bulb expansion.
> 
> ...


I wonder how much N2 it takes to grow something like that.


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## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

All it takes is fertile, well structured soil & as Meadowlark said, time in the ground.. 

In a normal year, half of ours are 4-6" across when the tops fall over (usually around Memorial Day) & the rest are somewhat smaller. We normally plant 300-400 of them.


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## LandsEnd (Feb 17, 2013)

Most people make the mistake of planting too deep. Plant just the roots and about 1/3 of what looks like will be the bulb. Look at Chumy's above. They are perfect. They won't bulb out if down in the soil. You can pull the soil back it they are too deep but better if right from the start.
DO


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

LandsEnd said:


> Most people make the mistake of planting too deep. Plant just the roots and about 1/3 of what looks like will be the bulb. Look at Chumy's above. They are perfect. They won't bulb out if down in the soil. You can pull the soil back it they are too deep but better if right from the start.
> DO


I've been gradually pulling away dirt this year. My onions seem to be deeper than what i orignally planted them. Not sure if they sunk or the stalk just has grown farther down in the soil.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

It does not hurt a thing to plant a little deeper than the roots for winter and then pull dirt away in spring. 

This has several advantages over the very shallow planting mentioned...1) it definitely provides assistance to the plants during the strong winds of winter and spring (such as today), 2) it also protects vital parts of the plant against freezing (the coldest temps are at ground level) and 3) if you have "grazers" on occasion its harder to dislodge plants deeper.

Pull the dirt back in spring and you will get bulbs just as large as those who plant very shallow, possibly even larger because of the reasons mentioned above.


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

Meadowlark said:


> It does not hurt a thing to plant a little deeper than the roots for winter and then pull dirt away in spring.
> 
> This has several advantages over the very shallow planting mentioned...1) it definitely provides assistance to the plants during the strong winds of winter and spring (such as today), 2) it also protects vital parts of the plant against freezing (the coldest temps are at ground level) and 3) if you have "grazers" on occasion its harder to dislodge plants deeper.
> 
> Pull the dirt back in spring and you will get bulbs just as large as those who plant very shallow, possibly even larger because of the reasons mentioned above.


What is a grazer?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

LOL...a grazer would be my term for a rabbit, horse, cow, sometimes even dogs, deer, and anything else that might take a fancy to your young onions. In spite of fences, they seem to find a way on my garden...and cows/calves especially will pull the plants out if they aren't anchored good.


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## StrikerX (Aug 31, 2009)

Doh...I planted my onions too deep. I didn't get mine in till Jan though. The top of bulb is about 1" below the surface (raised garden 6"). Can I still save my red onions?


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