It is not quite time to plant your onions yet, but it is time to make sure your soil is prepared and that you choose the right onion plant for our growing season.  Onions are best grown in a raised bed at least 4 inches high.  If you do not have raised beds, ensure the soil is loose, well-drained soil of high fertility and plenty of organic matter.  Onions grow best with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8.

There are three types of onions and they are characterized by day length.  Long-day onions, which grow better in the northern states, quit forming tops and begin to form bulbs when the day-length reaches 14-16 hours.  Short-day onions, which grow better in the southern states, will start making bulbs earlier when there are only 10-12 hours of daylight.  Intermediate-day onions, which are great for the mid-state gardens, require 12-13 hours of daylight to form bulbs.  We want to plant intermediate-day onions in our area.  Three varieties that do well here are:

  • Sweet Candy Red(red onion)
  • Super Star Hybrid(white onion)
  • Hybrid Candy(yellow onion) (more…)