onion plant are a popular plant in most gardens . They can be started from seminal fluid or onion set . you could set them deep to create scallions or “ Spring Onions ” for other harvest , or plant them shallow to rent them grow into wooden-headed bulb you could use all year around .
As simple-minded as they might seem , some proficiency will make all the difference when it comes to enjoying a big onion plant harvesting .
If this is your first time growing onions , or you ’ve been underwhelmed by your past harvests , you need to stress these tips to give you a bountiful onion harvest this year .
Tip 1: Companion Planting with Nightshades
Onions do very well when associate are planted in the same horticulture seam with nightshade plants like tomato and peppers . There are several reasons for this , starting with the style the two types of plant spring up their root base .
Allium cepa be given to have shallow roots that draw nutrient from the upper stratum of the filth . Whereas tomatoes , peppers , and other nightshade tend to make thick antecedent system . This keeps the two plants from straightaway compete , even if you constitute a row of onion within 12 column inch of a course of black pepper .
They both deal similar fertilizing motivation at the same sentence of class . Early on onion plant gain from N to help modernize their green grass - like tip . Piper nigrum and onions also benefit from nitrogen in the former phase of maturation to develop the variety of chummy foliage they require to keep their fruits from suffering sunscald .
The leaf of nightshade plants also helps shade off the soil , to keep it from drying out . Not only does this aid onions draw up the moisture they need , but it also help keep the soil soft so Allium cepa bulbs can extend to their maximum potentiality .
As a fillip , the odor of onions also helps discourage common night shade plague . Allowing the two plant specie to grow together as happy companions .
Pro Tip
If you ’re exit to embed Allium cepa sets deep for harvest , be sure to irrigate the filth before harvest . This will reduce the risk of infection of radical damage to the tomatoes and peppers when you pull the deep - planted scallion out of the stain .
Tip 2: Change Your Fertilizing Strategy with the Season
Onion ’s fecundate needs variety as the season progresses . Especially if you ’re growing onion from seed , rather than solidification .
This operation starts early on in the spring when you ’re cook your planting beds . Onions grow best in dirt with pH between 6.0 and 7.0 in soil that is loose with a high-pitched volume of constituent matter . Then you’re able to augment the soil with a phosphorus - rich plant food , which promotes good etymon ontogeny .
If you ’re companion plant with nightshades , extra land P will also promote flowering and fruit place setting .
After planting your Allium cepa seedlings or sets , you want to side - clothes the words with additional phosphorus - rich fertilizer ( like superphosphate and potassium sulfate ) . Do this again in July with food for thought that ’s expert for growing bulbs , without nitrogen , so you get big bulbs or else of too many leaves .
If you ’re mature Allium cepa from seeds and transplanting seedlings into the bed , you could also sum up a little bio - available nitrogen to the planting bed . This will give the onion seedlings the trivial boost of nitrogen they necessitate to rapidly make grow potent , green height .
You do n’t need to use a delayed - release N plant food , as too much atomic number 7 in the peak of the farm time of year encourages the onions to put their Energy Department into top growth when you want them to be developing magnanimous electric light .
Watering onion during their initial two to three month is crucial . Neglecting right watering in this timeframe can ensue in undersized bulbs and diminished flavour .
Tip 4: Use Drip Irrigation
Onions need moist grease to take advantage of the bioavailable nutrient , while also ca-ca indisputable the territory is delicate enough for the bulbs to expand to their largest maturation electric potential .
water with a drip mould irrigation organization also concentrate the hazard of fungal diseases developing on the nearby nightshade plants . thing like early blight on tomatoes and peppers promoted by wet foliage from sprinkler can transfer to the onion tops , belt down them , which stunt medulla ontogeny .
So , drip irrigation systems help both types of plants simultaneously , and is a upright option than sprinkler irrigation or spraying with a hose .
Frequently Asked Questions
onion plant come are more price - efficacious than onion plant sets , but you need to start them several week if not months before . They ’re only really a proficient alternative if you have the space and time , as they are the more labor and imagination - intensive methods .
Onion circle only cost a little more and are very leisurely to plant . They also tend to be more racy in multiplication when a freak fountain cold snap hits . gain them the better option for zones 6 and cold .
Conclusion
By following these simple-minded tips you’re able to enjoy the best Allium cepa crop class after twelvemonth . This start with preparing the soil in the planting bed .
Augmenting with bioavailable nitrogen throw a boost to onion get from seed . Mild phosphorus fertilizer side enclothe along rows then push incandescent lamp growth throughout the growing season .
Companion planting onion next to nightshade like onion and pepper helps both plants . The leaf of the nightshade helps keep the soil from drying out , while the aroma of the onions deter plebeian nightshade pests .
Since the two plant develop root substructure at different depth , they do n’t compete for available soil nutrient . A drip irrigation organisation is the good path to weewee onions .
Not only does it keep the soil from drying out , but the mild soil reach it well-off for onion plant bulbs to lucubrate in the soil . It also reduce the risk of many fungal disease that can regard onion plant tiptop and the leaf of the nearby nightshades .
Written By
Amber Noyes was born and raise in a suburban California town , San Mateo . She guard a master ’s degree in gardening from the University of California as well as a b in Biology from the University of San Francisco . With experience working on an constituent farm , water conservation research , husbandman ’ markets , and works baby’s room , she understands what make plant thrive and how we can better realise the connection between microclimate and industrial plant wellness . When she ’s not on the land , Amber loves informing people of fresh ideas / things related to gardening , peculiarly organic gardening , houseplants , and growing plant in a minor distance .
