How to Grow Onions

Growing onions can be fun and it can guarantee healthy rewards.

Required Materials

• onion seeds
• compost maker
• fertilizer
• garden spade
• garden trowels
• floating row covers
• shovel
• mulch

Steps to Grow Onions

1. Choose an area in your garden or backyard. The area should get around 6 hours of sunlight. The soil should have a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Onions grow best in soil retaining much moisture.
2. Till the soil in the area. Do this to a depth of about 8 inches. This will enable the onion bulbs to develop well. Get rid of weeds as these will overtake the young onion plants.
3. Add a careful amount of parasitic nematodes. This will get rid of maggots and cutworms which are very harmful to onions. You can buy the said product through plant nurseries.
4. Set the seeds. Make sure the seeds are covered with the right amount of soil. Provide a space of 2 to 6 inches apart. This depends on how big the onion bulbs would be. Check the information included in the seed packet. Cover the seedlings with the floating row covers. This protects them from maggot flies.
5. Provide the seedlings with compost tea three weeks after planting. Repeat this step when the onion tops have a height of 6 inches and when the onion bulbs start to swell.
6. When you notice the onion bulbs pushing out of the soil, lightly cover them with compost or mulch.
7. Water the plants every week until the tops become yellow or fall over. You can finally harvest your onions when the tops reach a height of 6 inches.