Humans are specially programmed to love the smell of sautéd onion. It triggers a signal like a series of dominoes cascading up our spine and straight into our reptilian brain, crossing our eyes and causing involuntary drooling. At least, that’s what happens to me.
In the garden, onions are the classic cold-season crop, trusted for their hardiness and ease of growing. When well mulched, plants (though not young seedlings) will withstand light freezes and even prolonged snow. So long as temperatures don’t drop below about -5°C (20°F), cold weather can actually enhance an onion’s flavour by causing it to produce more sugars.
Like any plant that takes a while to mature, onions will do best in nutrient-rich soil, so don’t hold back on that extra shovel of compost and wood ash when preparing the bed. They have shallow roots and will require a steady supply of water; however, be aware that onion bulbs suffer from fungal disease and rot in boggy soil. This is yet another good case for well-draining soil or even growing in pots.
Harvest early to get spring onions or wait for the bulb to push up to the surface for the big show. Foliage will start to brown off when nearly ready to harvest. We typically pull onions from the ground on a dry spring day and leave them on top of the bed to cure for a few days if no rain is predicted. Hang in a cool dry place to store.
PLANTING
Sow the seeds directly into the veggie patch in early autumn if conditions are not too warm, otherwise propagate in a mini greenhouse and then transplant once conditions become more mild.
WATERING
In ground: Water daily for the first 4 weeks and 3-4 times a week in the absence of rainfall thereafter.
In Pots: Water daily, in the absence of rainfall, for the entirety of the warm season. Otherwise water every second day – after they are 4 weeks old – if growing during the cooler times of the year.
MAINTENANCE
Prepare the soil with compost but don’t over-fertilise with nitrogen. Rather, add liquid potassium just prior to planting. Transplant into the patch at the required spacing.
One month after planting mulch to a depth of 3–5cm using pea straw, lucerne hay or sugar cane mulch.
After 8 weeks apply some liquid seaweed solution every couple of months.
If the onions start to push up out of the ground, mound up some soil around their bases.
Once the foliage begins to die back, tie it in knots – this is said (by our nonna’s uncle’s cousin’s nephew) to transfer energy to the bulb growth.
HARVESTING
Time until first harvest: 45-60 days as spring onions, 180+ days for market-sized bulbs
How to harvest: Harvest using a hand fork, loosening the soil as you gently pull the foliage.Be sure to hang them up in a cool dry place to preserve them properly.
TIP
If you don’t have the appetite for the full growing season, you can harvest the younger shoots as spring onions. However, for those with the perseverance, make sure that once onion bulbs begin to push to the surface, don’t fertilise and don’t cover the bulbs.
