Here is an easy-to-follow guide to planting and growing onions all year round:
- Choose the right variety: If you are planning on planting onions in the fall, the Shakespeare variety is a great one. You can do this from September to mid-November, but make sure the weather is right.
- Plan your planting: My grandmother always said that planting the bulbs about 3 weeks before a hard frost was ideal. This gives them time to root well in the soil and withstand the winter.
- The magic date: In the past, 11/11 was considered the perfect time to plant onions, but today it is important to consider the weather conditions. Make sure the temperature has dropped to 8 degrees.
- Prepare the soil: Onions grow best in soil that has not had vegetables rooted before. If you need to plant where there were vegetables, consider planting Vic Siatu first, which helps improve the soil and provides nitrogen.
- Planting bulbs: Plant bulbs 8-10 cm deep and 4-5 cm apart. Make sure there is enough space between rows, at least 25 cm.
- Protecting onions: During the winter months, cover onions with branches, peat moss or fallen leaves to protect them from frost. If the winter is mild, you don’t need to cover them.
- Care and maintenance: Make sure onions get enough water, especially in spring. Water around the green stem to avoid problems.
- Harvesting and storing: Harvest onions when they are ripe and let them ripen normally. Some varieties keep better than others.
- Protection: To protect your onions from disease and frost, you can use a proven method such as soaking the bulbs in a Sulky-K solution for a few hours before planting.
- Enjoy your fresh onions all year round: With proper planning, you can have fresh onions from spring to summer, ensuring a fresh harvest all year round.