How Deep To Plant Onion Sets

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Planting Onions in the Dwelling Garden

By Richard Jauron
Horticulturist
Iowa State University Extension

Onions are ane of the near popular vegetables in the dwelling house garden. They tin be grown for green onions and dry bulbs.

Onions are easy to abound. They perform best in well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soils in full sun. Heavy soils can exist improved past incorporating organic affair, such as compost, into the soil. Onions require higher fertility levels than about other vegetables. Apply 1 to 2 pounds of an all-purpose garden fertilizer, such equally 10-10-10, per 100 square feet and till into the soil prior to planting. 4 to five weeks after planting, sidedress with additional fertilizer. Sprinkle 1 pound of an all-purpose garden fertilizer per 100 feet of row. Place the fertilizer in a narrow band about 2 to 3 inches from the base of the onion plants.

An important aspect of onion development is photoperiod or day length. Photoperiod, forth with temperature, control bulb formation. The cool temperatures and short days of early on jump promote leaf and root growth. Bulb formation begins when a certain day length is reached. Short-twenty-four hours onion varieties begin to course bulbs when they receive eleven or 12 hours of daylight, intermediate-twenty-four hours onions demand 12 to xiv hours of daylight, and long-day varieties require xiv or more hours of daylight. Long-twenty-four hours varieties are the best selection for gardeners in Iowa and the upper Midwest. Short-day varieties in Iowa volition brainstorm to seedling when the plants are small-scale and will non produce large bulbs. Modest bulbs can also exist expected if long-day varieties are planted in late spring in Iowa.

Onions may exist grown from seeds, sets and plants. The planting method selected is based on toll, use, availability and planting ease.

Seeddue south

Growing onions from seeds may be the most hard planting method. Even so, it is the to the lowest degree expensive.  Germination may be sporadic, plant growth is tedious, and weeds may be a problem. Plant onion seeds as soon as the ground tin be worked in spring (late March or early on Apr in southern Iowa, mid-April in northern portions of the state). Establish seeds in rows 12 to 15 inches autonomously. Encompass the seeds with 1/ii to three/4 inch of soil. When the seedlings are 2 to iv inches tall, sparse the planting. For large, dry out onions, plants should be spaced 2 to 3 inches apart afterwards thinning.  A full season of growth is needed for mature onions.

Sets

Sets are small onion bulbs that were grown the previous year, harvested, stored through wintertime, so distributed to garden centers in early leap. Specific onion varieties are commonly non available. They are sold simply as cherry-red, white or yellow onion sets. Since the diverseness is unknown, the flavor, utilise, and keeping quality of onions grown from sets varies considerably. Before planting sets, separate the bulbs into two size groups -- those smaller than a nickel in diameter and those larger than a nickel. The larger sets frequently bolt (produce a bloom stalk) and don't produce skillful-sized bulbs. Use the larger sets for green onions. The smaller sets can exist allowed to develop into mature onions.

Plant sets in early bound as presently every bit the ground tin can be worked. Sets should be planted at a depth of 1 to 1 ane/2 inches in rows 12 to 15 inches apart. For dry onions, plant the sets two to 3 inches apart. Sets grown for green onions can be planted closer together.

Plants

Plants are onion transplants grown in southern areas of the United States in winter, bundled into bunches of 50 to 100 plants, then shipped to garden centers in early spring. Onion varieties are available when purchasing plants.

Select healthy green transplants and plant them 1 to one 1/2 inches deep in rows 12 to 15 inches autonomously. To produce large, dry onions, identify the plants 2 to 3 inches autonomously. Plant them as soon as the footing can be worked in spring.

Suggested onion varieties for home gardens in Iowa include Copra (master season, yellowish-chocolate-brown peel, splendid storage), Candy (yellow-brown skin, globe-shaped, short term storage), Cerise Burgermaster (bright red, world-shaped, good storage), Sweet Sandwich (late season, yellow-dark-brown skin, excellent storage), and Walla Walla Sweet (late season, yellow-brown skin, short-term storage).

Contacts :
Richard Jauron, Horticulture, (515) 294-1871, rjauron@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Extension Communications and Marketing, (515) 294-7033, jmcguire@iastate.edu

Source: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2007/mar/071601.htm

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