Onions, help/info

[Big_White]

Ok, so my family has had good runs and bad runs when it comes to onions. We will have an awesome turn out one year and the next they hardly producing. I was wondering if anyone had some basics to the onion?


Also, i just went out and walked by one of our raised beds we had onions in last year. I looked at it and low and behold it had onions growing in it. i pulled dirt away from one to take a peek and they are about the size of set onions. So what could/should i do with these?

Also how do i manage to save seed? That is one of the veggies i have littli to no knowledge on. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I am ok at growing scallions / green onions, but this year intend to grow bulb onions (big red onions) too, to use throughout the year. Will be doing it in about 4 inches of goat-pen-muck then 2 inches of top soil (hope that will work). Plus saving seeds for next year's scallions and bulb onions.

I'll be watching this thread with great interest because I'm very wary about doing this successfully.

 

[sunsaver]

Grow short day type onions in the south, and plant them in fall. Grow long day varieties in the north, and plant them in spring. Fertilize well with high nitrogen content fertilizer ( just like corn or greens). Grow them in loose, sandy soil. Rake the soil away from the base of the bulb, halfway through the growing season. To save seed, let the onions stay in the ground until they bloom with a large white, globe shaped head with many small, star shaped flowers (not sure if they are biennial, so this might take a year). When blooms turn brown, remove black seeds from the seed pods by hand and let dry on a table or some newspaper. That's all the tricks that i know for growing onions. I hope it helps.

 

[Big_White]

Thanks sunsaver, that actually helps a lot. i will let a few of mine flower like that this year hopefully it will work

 

[sunsaver]

Your welcome! Glad i could help