Growing Onion

Allium cepa : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	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

23 Oct 21, Judy (Australia - temperate climate): My onions are starting to go to seed. Why has this happened, and what can I do about it?
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10 Oct 21, jim (New Zealand - temperate climate): I am interested in planting dates for onions all my seed packets put planting in late autum winter but they are differen on this site.My father always planted onion sets are they available in NZ
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13 Oct 21, Anon (New Zealand - temperate climate): The guide here is only a guide subject to your local conditions. You could try planting now.
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11 Oct 21, Sassy (USA - Zone 9b climate): Jim, you just missed the spring planting season, ending in September. You can sow seed starts, in doors, under grow lights, in February to transplant in April or direct sow in May. The spring planting season begins with sowing starts in Jun, transplanting in August, or direct sowing in September. You can find this information in the Vegetable and Herb tab, click on Onion, select your Climate Zone and look at the coded calendar. Good luck with your onions next Fall.
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05 Jul 21, Jacqueline (Australia - temperate climate): I'm interested in planting red onions, I am growing spring onions, and leeks quite successfully but know nothing about red onion planting and care. Could you please advise me. I only have a small balcony style garden.
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10 Jul 21, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): All the onion family are pretty similar to grow. Plant them similar time as spring onions and leeks. If you want more info google
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08 Aug 21, anne onn (Australia - temperate climate): telling people to google something on a plant website is just lazy. @Jacqueline, you can safely plant the red onions as if they were spring onions, just allow for more space between the plants Note: Gardenate does not advise google - we assume that is how the questioner found our site)
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07 May 21, Pablo checkman (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate): How many month it takes Africans best onion
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10 May 21, (South Africa - Semi-arid climate): Read the notes here, www.gardenate.com/plant/Onion?zone=22
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02 May 21, Michele (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate): I seem to have gotten white rot/fungus tha affects most onion varieties except spring onions- they will get it but very late on...does anyone know of a vigorous type of ordinary brown or red onion that might stave it off until I can harvest? Thanks.
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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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Allium cepa : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

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