Onions are among the most regularly used vegetable in the kitchen, so are well worth
growning in the alotment or garden. They can be stored for a long period after
harvesting so very few are wasted. Onions love an open sunny location, but will
need regular watering in drought conditions when bulbs are forming.
Onions need a firm, loamy soil which is well drained. For best results prepare
the ground with manure or compost atleast seven moths before sowing. Before
sowing work the ground with a rake braking the soil up into a fine tilth, at
the same time firm the ground with your boots.
The two types of onions I am going to write about are: spring onions and main crop
onion sets.
Spring onions can be sown in the spring when the risk of frost has passed. Prepare
a drill of 1.5cms deep, sow seeds thinly and fill in with a rake. Make the rows
atleast 45cms apart, as this will make weeding a little more easy.
The seedlings should appear about 20 days later. Thin seedlings as they start to become
crowded, havesting can begin as soon as the bulbs start to form.
Onion sets provide an easier method of growing onions and with more chance of success.
Plant onion sets 10cm (4inch) apart in rows 30cm (1 foot) apart to a depth where only the very
tips of the sets are just showing through the soil. Dig a hole in the soil with a trowel and place
them in the hole with their necks uppermost. Do not just push them into the soil, they may grow out
of the soil later.
Check that the onions are receiving a regular supply of rain water - watering may be required
in dry periods up until mid-August. From then on, do not provide any water, it may delay the
maturing process. Weeding will also be necessary, because onion foliage provides no protection
against weeds.
When the leaves start dye off bend the stems over and leave the leaves to completely dry out.
Afterwhich lift the onions out of the ground with a fork, shake off any surplus soil from the bulbs
lay out to dry in the sun for a week. The onions can then be tied together and hung up in a
well ventelated room or shed for winter storage.
