Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Onions
:
Onions the delight of every chef, in fact I wonder how we could survive without them!
A cold-season crop, the onion is a hardy vegetable that is relatively easy to grow and un-
demanding regarding care and protection from disease or insects.
Planting:
Onionsrequirenitrogenrich,loosesoilinwhichtoprosper-conditionsthatsuitSFgarden-
ers just fine!
Therecommendedwaytoplantonionsistobuyonionsetsratherthanseeds,butifseedsare
preferred then start indoors about 4-5 weeks before transplanting.
Young plants or sets should be planted 4 to a square, making sure that they are not under the
shade of larger plants.
Sink 1/3
rd
of the bulb into the soil, then press lightly to firm them in.
Plant Care:
Onions need little care, however as they growyoumay find that they will rise out ofthe soil
and so occasionally need to be lightly pressed down again until the root system gets fully
established.
Watch out also for blackbirds and crows that will occasionally pull the unestablished plants
out of the ground, leaving them on the surface to wither and die.
Iftheonionsendsupflowerstalksthenthismeansthatithas'bolted'andisnouse.Remove
from the bed and discard.
