(EMAILWIRE.COM, February 24, 2012 ) Terrington, England -- Growing onions can be extremely rewarding, not only will one be afforded with a greater selection than in most supermarkets, having onions on hand help to flavour many a savoury dish.
The first step is to choose what method to use, onion sets or seeds. Each has their own advantages, with sets there is no risk of mildew and soil doesnÂ’t have to be in optimum condition, however variations will be limited according to the preferred supplier. Sets are also more expensive than seed as the small bulbs are basically tiny onions specially grown and sometimes heat treated to give the best results.
Despite this, onion sets are still the most popular choice for vegetable gardeners as the results outweigh any negatives.
Sowing
Now is the perfect time to sow onion sets, four inches apart in the ground. Sowing can continue until early may with lifting commencing from as early as July.
Push gently into the prepared soft soil with only the tip showing above ground, for extra precautions some like to cover with netting for the first few weeks in order to deter birds. As the onions grow carefully weed in between by hand, rigorous hoeing or weeding may damage the soil structure and make the onions unstable.
Watering
Onions do need water to grow however too much and they become rotten and slimy. Water only in very dry weather and as soon as the bulbs begin to swell refrain from watering at all. This is true for shallots too as a common problem when growing shallots is that the sets quite simply disappear. This is due to over watering and the bulbs being naturally composted by the earth!
Maintenance
Once they are a good size the bulb must have access to as much sunlight as possible. Pull back any soil covering the top of the bulb and expose the onion. Breaking off flower stalks will ensure that flavour stays in the vegetable (or allium) and sugars arenÂ’t released to make seeds.
Harvesting
Harvested bulbs can be dried and stored, prolonging their shelf life for months.One can dry onions outside or inside depending on the weather, spread thinly over sacking or in trays. Drying will take one to three weeks depending on the size of the crop. Once dried they can be stored in paper bags or even a pair of nylon tights until they are ready to use; inspect the harvest carefully however as this method is not suitable for any thick necked onions or ones that are damaged, these would need using immediately.
Varieties
There are many varieties of onions to choose from not least salad, spring, shallots, red or white. The most popular croppers are:
Ailsa Craig – The Onion that wins all the shows.
Marco – High yields, long storage life and early maturing make this a winner too.
Red Baron – With white and red rings this is an aesthetically pleasing onion that is also reliable.
A full range of onions will soon be available to buy from LavenderWorld very soon as part of their growing garden plants selection. For more information, please contact LavenderWorld on 01653 648 008, via info@lavenderworld.co.uk or visit their website at www.lavenderworld.co.uk
About lavenderworld.co.uk:
Lavender World specialises in lavender-based products. From essential oils to beauty products and lavender plants, its knowledge of lavender is unrivalled. It also provides seasonal advice on all aspects of growing garden plants.
