Growing Onion

Allium cepa : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S                    
    P P                

(Best months for growing Onion in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 2 - 4 inches apart
  • Harvest in 25-34 weeks. Allow onions to dry before storing.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Lemon Balm, Borage, Carrots, Beets, Silverbeet, Lettuce, Amaranth
  • Avoid growing close to: Peas, Beans

Your comments and tips

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20 Feb 17, michael kearns (Australia - temperate climate)
Which type of onion is better. brown or yellow
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20 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
They are both good depending on what your intended use is. Brown onions are often smaller and more pungent but Creamgold (Pukekoe), the creamy yellow one is larger with a smoother flavour. I suppose you could say Creamgold is the ideal BBQ onion as it onlly needs light frying. It is entirely a matter of personal preference. Trust this helps.
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01 Feb 17, Grace (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm looking at onions. Temperate area. Cohuna vic. What isnthe difference between the "transplant seedlings" and "plant in garden"? Hmmm. Or does the "plant in garden" mean I can plant seed straight into the garden instead of growing them now in seed trays?
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04 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Any seeds planted directly into the garden will do better than transplants because they don't get any transplant shock. Having said that it is not easy to sow onion seed far enough apart to achieve this without thinning. Seed sown directly into the ground in friable soil will do a lot better than tray grown seedlings generally because moisture is easier to keep more consistent. these can then be transplanted. Trust this helps and is not too confusing.
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29 Jan 17, Anthony (Australia - temperate climate)
I am keen on growing brown onions at home in Sydney..i have been reading up on onions and found that there are long day short day and intermediate day varieties...which verity best suits Sydney this winter and even next summer...Also whats the best variety of onion that best suits Sydney....Im near Parramatta... Also where would the best place to get seeds for this variety of onion... Thankyou....
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04 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
We are south of Sydney but I think it would be about the same. Check the seed packets or catalogue when purchasing. Feb-Mar - Early White Barletta, Erly Flat White (salad onion) Apr-May - Golden Globe, Hunter River White, Hunter River Brown, Gladalan Brown Apr-Jul - Odourless, Calred (Californian Red), Pearl Pickler May-Jul - White Spanish, Australian Brown, Brown Spanish Jun-Jul - Pukekohe (Creamgold) Jul-Sep - Ailsa Craig, White Spanish, All Year - White Lisbon, Long White Bunching (spring onion) I am indebted to Norman de Vaus for this information. He has a seed company called New Gippsland Seed Farm which you should be able to find on the internet. Trust this helps.
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04 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
We are further south than Sydney but the following list should be a good guide for you. Also check the packet or seed catalogue for what is right for Sydney when purchasing. Feb-Mar - Early Flat White (salad onion), Early Barletta Apr-May - Golden Globe, Hunter River White, Hunter River Brown, Gladalan Brown Apr-Jul - Odourless, Calred (Californian Red) May-Jul - White Spanish, Australian Brown (Brown Spanish) Jun-Jul - Pukekohe (Creamgold) Jul-Sep - Ailsa Craig, Prizetaker, White Spanish All Year - Long White Bunching - Spring onions (thin like a pencil) These are seed sowing t
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15 Jan 17, PAUL DZIADULEWICZ (Australia - temperate climate)
BROWN ONIONS GROWN IN OUR VEG PATCH HAVE NO TASTE AT ALL. THEY LOOK GREAT, ARE A GOOD SIZE AND APPEAR TO BE HEALTHY CAN YOU OFFER ANY SUGGESTIONS? CHEERS PAUL
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16 Jan 17, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)
Hello Paul. There could be a number of reasons for your problem. 1. Are the onions ripe? When onions are ready for harvest the tops will have died off and will be lying flat on the ground. 2. Were they 'salad' or 'long keeping' onions? Salad onions are flat and very mild flavoured. What was the variety and its description? Brown or White Spanish onions are much hotter than mild varieties such as' Creamgold' or' Pukekohe'. This may not solve the problem for your current crop but trust it will give you some answers for the next one.
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07 Jan 17, john timea (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Hello my name is john timea .I am from Papua new guinea highlands and iam interested in growing blub brown onion.please advise what variety will I grow.thank you. john timea.
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Since you are having problems with your Texas Grano -- I would recommend going to an Egyptian walking onion (or other walking onion). Video abojut the onion can be found here: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=walking+onions&mid=17F7CAB6E4A914745E4A17F7CAB6E4A914745E4A&FORM=VIRE Additionally: the walking onion originated from a cross between the Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum), and the common onion (Allium cepa). The Egyptian walking onion, Allium x proliferum, is a member of the allium family and a great addition to the perennial vegetable garden. Egyptian onions go by many names, including tree onions, topset (or topsetting) onions, and walking onions. The seeds are slow growing, and can take several years for them to grow and flower. That’s why people grow them mostly from established bulbs. Every part of the Egyptian walking onion is edible, including the bulb in the ground, the stems, the flower, and the aerial bulbils. There are different varieties -- some zones 3-9 others 3-10. I would select a 3-10 for your area -- additionally some types grow substantial bulbs under ground -- others have small underground bulbs -- so select your variety based on your need. There are white, brown and purple walking onions. There is also the RED CATAWISSA WALKING onion -- which is not classified as an Egyptian walker -- but is still a walking onion: this variety for its larger sized bulbs and topsets that are much larger than the typical walking onion. All parts of the plant are edible. Walking onions are a standard choice for permaculture gardens and food forests -- they are very low maintenance - and very reliable -- so a good choice for anyone having difficulty growing regular onions.

- Celeste Archer

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