Growing Onion

Allium cepa : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

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

(Best months for growing Onion in Australia - sub-tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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 8°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 5 - 10 cm 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

01 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Read what it says above - it tells you.
14 Nov 17, rob (Australia - temperate climate)
onions are going to seed . Should I pick now or wait till they brown
20 Nov 17, Mike (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
In future pick before they seed or when you first see them starting to seed.
15 Nov 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pick them and then leave in the sun for a few days to brown off.
03 Jul 17, Paris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I'm about to start growing onions from seeds and it says keep them under cover until early spring when they are ready to be planted out, I'm just wondering exactly what undercover means. Does it mean inside undercover or just out of direct sunlight outside. "Undercover" is very vague and I don't want to mess these up.
04 Jul 17, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
When we say 'undercover', we mean somewhere which will not have extremes of temperature and cool down at night. e.g on a covered deck : or in a cool greenhouse.
12 Jun 17, Margaret Shaw (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted about 100 spring onions about 2 wks. ago, all looking good, do they benefit from any fertiliser during the growing period. I dug in a small amount of compost before planting. Thanking you, Margaret.
15 Jun 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Onions like a good soil but do not like too much manure/fertiliser as it will cause soft growth which will be susceptible to fungal problems.
02 Jun 17, (Australia - temperate climate)
Hello, what does it mean when the onion doesn't form a proper onion bulb but the stem becomes thick. This happened to me last year after having a good crop the year before. Cheers
13 Sep 17, Karin (Australia - temperate climate)
I am having the same problem and I notice no-one has replied to the first person's question. The plant tops are thick and healthy, but there seems to be no onion bulb forming in the soil. Why is this and what can I do about it?
Showing 61 - 70 of 193 comments

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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