Onions are one of the basic vegetables. In other words, they are used in kitchens around the world as a staple food. Central Asia saw the origin of onion cultivation more than 5,000 years ago, and it has been cultivated ever since. Onions were even found mummified with ancient Egyptian mummies. They are very versatile, sliced and served raw in sandwiches or salads, fried, pickled, roasted and prepared in many types of dishes, they are indeed one of the most popular vegetables in the world! They are related to many others, including garlic, leeks, shallots, chives and green onions.
Facts about the Onion Garden
Onions are rich in antioxidants (especially yellow and red onions). They are rich in vitamin C, potassium and vitamins B6 and B9. They are low in carbohydrates and low in fat and are a great healthy addition to most diets. Allergies to onions are very rare, but the rare occurrence of an allergic reaction is a good thing to know, as well as the potential of onions sometimes causes bad breath!
Onion (Allium cepa)
Biennale
Full sun
The soil should be slightly acidic (pH 6.0 to 7.0)
Rich, heat and well-drained soil
Garden planting:
It starts indoors, 10-12 weeks before the last frost of spring.
Transplant to the garden 2 weeks before the last frost date
Plant the seedlings 5 inches apart and the bulb no more than 1 inch deep. The roots should be deeper.
Rows spaced 15 inches apart
Mulch surface well (6 ” straw)
Climatic zones:
Short-day 7-12
Neutral day 5-6 is best, but it will grow everywhere
Long day 2-6
Crop rotation
Planting containers:
Large pots are needed to grow a good amount for the harvest.
cookware at least 3 feet long, 12 inches deep, or use a large plastic bin
Start indoors and transplant into the final container for about 10 to a few weeks
Plant seedlings 5 inches apart
An important distinction for gardeners is that there are three main basic categories of onions for growth purposes. These are long onions, short onions and neutral onions. Long onions need longer periods of direct sunlight to produce bulbs, 14 to 15 hours is preferable. These are grown in the northern regions, usually in zones 2 to 6. Short-lived onions need only 10-12 hours a day and are best in the south, zone 7 or heat. Daytime neutrals light up everywhere, it does not matter. These types of” middle of the road ” are commonly grown in the central region of the United States, zones 5-6, but are popular everywhere and will be bulb throughout the United States. The 35 parallelo parallel is a good dividing line for determining whether you are “north” or “south”.As an easy reference to the United States, it is located right along the southern border of Tennessee and runs along the southern border of the Albuquerque region to the west.
Types of onions
In each of the three categories of growth are the three familiar color types of onions. Specific varieties of yellow onions, red onions and white onions are part of each of these groups. Yellow onions are the most common, with the familiar strong flavor, and these are usually cooked in various recipes. Red onions are often red or purplish, and have the pronounced flavor of yellow onions but contain more sugar, and are therefore both strong and sweet. White onions are the sweetest and are most often sliced or grated raw. Green onions or spring onions are often used as an alternative to green onions in recipes, although they are much less sweet when served raw.
As the table shows, it is better to start onion seeds at home, long before spring. They should only receive 10 hours of light a day during and after germination, to prevent the bulbs from starting. As the seedlings grow, usually about 4 weeks after germination, cut the seedlings to about two inches tall. Transplant them into the garden bed two weeks before the last frost. They should be spaced about 5 inches apart in each row. The rows should be 15 inches apart. Don’t plant them too deep, about 1 inch is fine. Bulbs will form just below the surface of the soil. Plant too deeply and the bulbs will not form! Keep them well watered! The soil must be moist but not moist. The equivalent of 1 inch of rain per week is ideal.
