Now that we are officially in autumn season we can start sowing onion.
Onions can be grown from seed or small, dried immature onions called ‘sets’. For this plan we will be sowing sets.
Onions are one of those vegetables that it’s possible to become fully self-sufficient in, even if you don’t have a huge amount of space. A decent sized raised bed could produce a couple of hundred onions, which would be enough for most families for up to a year.
Onions are relatively easy to grow and they store well. Above all, there’s nothing better than having onions hanging in your shed and knowing you don’t have to buy those dry, tasteless, imported supermarket onions this year.
Preparation and Sowing
Onions grow best in a good fertile soil, so add compost and a general fertiliser for best results.
Carrots are best sown directly in the soil, as they do not transplant well.
Carrots can be sown from March through to late July.
Sow carrots thinly at 1cm depth, in rows 15cm apart.
Be patient as carrots can take up to three weeks to germinate.
Growing
Onions hate weed competition so keep your onion bed weed free. Hoe carefully between the rows as weeds emerge and hand weed along the rows.
Harvesting
Onions can be harvested at any stage you want to eat them, from scallion size to green onions to mature dried onions.
In a damp autumn the drying will need finishing in a dry shed or poly tunnel.When completely dry store the onions in a dry shed – they store better if left untrimmed.
Common Problems
Young transplanted sets appear irresistible to rooks who pull the young plants out the ground – this is easily prevented by using netting.
The most serious disease in onion is white rot – this is usually brought into the garden on sets. The disease causes the onion to rot from the base. Dispose of diseased onions away from your garden, as the disease will stay in the soil for a decade or move. It also means you can’t grow onions, garlic or leeks in that area of your garden for 10 years.
Downy mildew is a disease that can attack the leaves. To control this keep the onions growing healthily, but don’t over feed with nitrogen.
